Saturday, March 29, 2025
Election Commission Clarifies Aadhaar-Linked Rule Amid Voter Roll Controversy
New Delhi – September 24, 2025
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has clarified that it recently made Aadhaar-linked mobile numbers mandatory for online voter roll changes, including addition, deletion, or modification of entries. Officials confirmed that the decision was taken a month ago, and the Commission’s IT department has now put the system into effect.
This clarification comes amid a political storm triggered by Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, who has accused the poll body of facilitating “targeted voter deletions” in Karnataka. Gandhi, citing the Aland Assembly constituency, claimed that 6,018 voters had been removed and alleged that a “third force” was behind what he called “systematic voter theft.”
At a press conference, Gandhi charged that the Election Commission was withholding key details from the CID and warned of an upcoming “H-bomb” of revelations.
However, Karnataka’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) V. Anbukkumar issued a point-by-point rebuttal. He explained that in December 2022, the Electoral Roll Officer of Aland had received 6,018 Form 7 applications for deletion via online channels. Suspicious of the unusually high volume, election officers launched a thorough verification process, including document reviews and field visits.
Following the checks, only 24 applications were deemed genuine while 5,994 were found to be invalid and were rejected. The CEO stressed that no large-scale deletion had taken place. To address the fraudulent filings, a First Information Report (FIR No. 26/2023, dated February 21, 2023) was registered at Aland Police Station.
The controversy reignited after The Indian Express reported that Aadhaar-linked mobile numbers were being made mandatory for voter roll changes soon after Gandhi’s remarks. In response, the Congress leader accused the Election Commission of acting “only after being caught.”
The ECI has maintained that the new rule was already under preparation and was aimed at improving transparency and preventing misuse in voter registration systems.
