New Delhi: In a bid to reform the electoral process, the government on Friday issued four notifications as part of the Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021 passed by Parliament last year. The notifications include linking of electoral roll data with Aadhaar, making electoral law gender neutral for service voters, enabling young citizens to register as voters four times a year, and requisition any premises for storage of poll related material and accommodation for security forces and polling personnel.
Law Minister Kiren Rijiju took to Twitter to announce that four notifications have been issued in consultation with the Election Commission to reform the electoral process.
The minister wrote, “Empowering every voter! Hon’ble PM Sh @narendramodi ji’s govt.’s historic step to reform the electoral process. In consultation with the Election Commission of India, Govt. has issued four notifications under The Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021. #8YearsOfSeva.”
Empowering every voter!
Hon’ble PM Sh @narendramodi ji’s govt.’s historic step to reform the electoral process.
In consultation with the Election Commission of India, Govt. has issued four notifications under The Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021.#8YearsOfSeva pic.twitter.com/BIqkc5qQXX— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) June 17, 2022
The Union Minister shared a chart mentioning the electoral reforms. As per the notification, electoral roll data will be allowed to link with Aadhaar system to check multiple enrolment of the same person in different places.
A citizen who turns 18 on the January 1 or April 1 or July 1 or October 1 in a calendar year can immediately apply for voter registration, enabling them to register themselves as voters four times a year instead of once.
“The four qualifying dates will considerably enhance the voter base,” he said. As of now, January 1 is the only cut-off date to register as a voter, that means those turning 18 on or before January 1 can register as voters and those turning 18 after that have to wait for another year.
On making electoral law gender neutral, Rijiju said the word “wife” will be substituted with the word “spouse”, thereby, making the law gender neutral, which shall allow the wife or husband of a service voter to avail the voting facility available.
It is to be noted that soldiers deployed in far flung areas or members of the Indian missions abroad are some of the people who are considered as service voters.
As per the last notification, the Election Commission can now requisition any premises for storage of poll related material and accommodation for security forces and polling personnel.