HC refuses to direct EC on Aadhaar-linked voter verification
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Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has declined to issue directions to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to implement Aadhaar-based biometric or mobile OTP voter authentication systems, citing limitations in access to mobile technology among sections of the population.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Aperash Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin ruled on Friday that it is not within the judiciary’s purview to compel the ECI to adopt specific verification mechanisms. The court emphasised that the Commission must independently assess the feasibility of such systems and take appropriate action without judicial intervention.
The ruling came in response to a petition filed by Syed Zakir Hussain of Rajendranagar mandal, Ranga Reddy district, who had sought a study on introducing biometric and OTP-based voter verification. The bench dismissed the plea after hearing arguments, stating that the matter falls within the ECI’s administrative domain.