Very pertinent points raised in this The Hindu Op-Ed today.
It all boils down simply to the fundamental problem related to certifying citizenship of this country.
Aadhaar card was touted as the technological marvel that had solved the problem permanently. We all remember how 10-12 years ago, all citizens were made by the government to run helter-skelter scrambling and rushing into thousands of Aadhar online registration booths and centres.
A year later , after the countrywide mammoth process was done with, the Government triumph shyly announced that almost 98% of India’s population now had Aadhar ID. It was the Aadhar card ID that then became the lynchpin for the grand DBT strategy (direct bank account transfer) of taking social welfare payout-benefits, banking and financial services (both of the Govt and the private sector) to the vast masses of the country who were hitherto known to be excluded.
If only that had been true , there would be no need at all for Voter ID, Ration Card, School leaving certificate, passport.
The question I ask myself today while reading this The Hindu Op-Ed is this :
If the Govt. finds itself able to place trust in the Aadhar ID as sufficient proof of identity for citizens claiming various social and public welfare benefits, doles and subsidies, why does it view the same Aadhar card as suspect when it comes to granting them the right to vote ?
Why aren’t the wise men of the Supreme Court asking the same question ?
Sudarshan Madabushi