How can the integration of Aadhaar with technology like chips improve electoral fairness, and what risks might it pose?

The integration of Aadhaar with advanced technologies like chips is being considered to improve the fairness and transparency of elections in India. Aadhaar, as a unique digital identity, can be linked with voter identification systems and embedded in smart cards or chips to streamline voter authentication and reduce malpractices.

Potential Benefits for Electoral Fairness:
• Elimination of Duplicate and Fake Voters: Linking Aadhaar with voter IDs and embedding them in chips can help identify and remove duplicate, fake, or ghost voters from the electoral rolls.
• Efficient Voter Authentication: Chip-enabled Aadhaar cards can allow quick and accurate verification of voters at polling stations, reducing impersonation and booth capturing.
• Remote Voting Possibilities: Secure Aadhaar-based authentication may enable remote or online voting for migrants or people living away from their home constituencies, increasing electoral participation.
• Streamlined Electoral Roll Management: Real-time updates and automatic synchronization between Aadhaar and electoral databases can improve the accuracy of voter lists.

Risks and Challenges:
• Privacy Concerns: Integrating Aadhaar with chips and electoral processes may lead to misuse or unauthorized access to sensitive personal data.
• Exclusion Errors: Technical glitches, biometric mismatches, or lack of Aadhaar enrolment could result in genuine voters being denied their right to vote.
• Cybersecurity Threats: The use of digital chips and online systems increases the risk of hacking, data breaches, and manipulation of electoral data.
• Legal and Ethical Issues: The Supreme Court has set limits on the use of Aadhaar, especially for non-welfare purposes, raising questions about its use in elections.
• Digital Divide: Not all citizens have equal access to technology, which may disadvantage rural or marginalized populations during the voting process.