Supreme Court notice to Centre, Election Commission on plea to bring in iris, biometric verification of voters at polling booths
GS2Polity · Governance · IR· Elections, ECI & electoral reforms· Prelims + Mains·
Why in news
The Supreme Court issued a notice to the Centre and Election Commission regarding a petition to introduce iris and finger biometric verification at polling booths to prevent duplicate voting.
Background
The petition, filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, seeks to implement biometric identification to eliminate impersonation and multiple voting. The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, is evaluating the financial implications and necessary legal amendments before the next General Election.
Facts for Prelims
- PostSurya Kant: Chief Justice of India as of the court's consideration of the petition
- FactProposed biometric systems include both finger and iris identification
For Mains
Q. Discuss the potential of biometric authentication in ensuring electoral integrity while addressing concerns regarding privacy and logistical feasibility in India's diverse demographic landscape.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Privacy-Security Trade-off: Balancing the right to privacy against the state's interest in preventing electoral fraud
- Logistical Bottlenecks: High costs and infrastructure requirements for biometric hardware in remote rural polling stations
- Data Integrity: Risks associated with the centralized storage and potential leakage of sensitive biometric data
Keywords: Electoral Integrity · Biometric Authentication · Right to Privacy · Technological Governance · Duplicate Voting
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