To Shri Devendra Fadnavis Chief Minister State of Maharashtra RE: Linking of Voter IDs with Aadhaar numbers The Times of India reported on July 22 that the office of the Maharashtra Chief Minister had written to India’s Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora regarding linking voter IDs with the Aadhaar number. The report quoted you, Mr Fadnavis, as saying “that this linkage will help prevent bogus voting and ensure that there is proper identification of voters”. This is shocking as targeting electors whose voter IDs have been linked with Aadhaar is a corrupt practice under Section 123 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, as it amounts to gratification and manipulation of voters similar to what was done in the Cambridge Analytica episode in various elections across the world. 1. The Maharashtra Government has already used the following options to link Aadhaar to voter IDs. Option - 1. Through Chief Electoral Officer, Maharashtra State’s website viz: https://ceo.maharashtra.gov.in, or Option - 2. Through mobile phone by login to https://ceo.maharashtra.gov.in/maadhaar, or Option - 3. Through Election Commission of India, Delhi’s website viz: https://eci.nic.in, or Option - 4. Through SMS from mobile Phone to 51969, or Option - 5. Through physical submission of papers to ERO’s office or to VHC. 2. The Maharashtra Government has carried out "direct benefit transfers" – cash transfers – of subsidies and welfare benefits to Aadhaar-linked bank accounts, through, among others, the Social Justice and Special Assistance Department, Tribal Development Department, Directorate of Higher Education, Directorate of Technical Education, School Education and Sports Department, VJNT, OBC and SBC Welfare Department, Directorate of Medical Education and Research, Minority Development Department, Maharashtra Council of Agriculture Education and Research (MCAER), Directorate of Art, Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University(MAFSU) and the Department of Disability. 3. This amounts to direct targeting of voters possessing an Aadhaar number, in order to provide them with gratification or gifts, and in turn induce them to vote or refrain from voting as desired. Please note that this is a corrupt practice, as per Section 123(1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. 4. We also bring to your attention that such Aadhaar linking has also eased the authorising of expenditure in contravention of Section 77 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, by transferring funds to Aadhaar numbers in control of unknown persons. The UIDAI does not certify the identity of any Aadhaar holder and at least 58 crore Aadhaar numbers have been issued without legitimate primary identification documents. This may be construed to using dummy accounts as mules to receive large sums of money for the purpose of influencing elections. 5. We bring to your attention that the use of Aadhaar, or documents obtained solely using Aadhaar-based authentication, to add or delete electors, or to transpose them across parts of the Electoral Rolls has enabled taking possession of a polling station by allowing only supporters to exercise their right to vote and or preventing others from exercising their right to vote. This is booth capturing, as defined in Section 135A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. 6. We take this opportunity to highlight that the use of EVM or VVPAT does not help certify that every vote to every candidate was meant for the candidate and was cast by a genuine voter. This amounts to destruction or loss or damaging or tampering of votes to such an extent that that the result of the poll at that polling station or place cannot be ascertained as per Section 64A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. We are deeply shocked as these practices have eroded the legitimacy of electoral processes and undermined democracy in the State. With full responsibility and deepest concern, therefore, we pray that you will: 1. Immediately shut down the Aadhaar Program, as the linking of voters to any mechanism that allows targeting of subsidies, benefits or services to influence voters is a corrupt practice under 123 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. 2. Require the immediate publication of all Electoral Rolls in strict compliance of Rule 6 of the Registration of Electors Rules, certifying that all links with the Aadhaar program have been expunged. 3. Show cause why elections held under such corrupt practices should not be countermanded under Section 58A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Sincerely, 1. All India Progressive Women's Association (AIPWA) 2. All India Students' Progressive Association (AISA) 3. ANHAD, 4. Bebaak Collective 5. Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR) 6. Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) 7. Financial Accountability Network 8. Forum against Oppression Women 9. Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan, 10. Habitat and Livelihood Welfare Association 11. International Human rights Organisation Network (IHRO) 12. Jan Swasthya Abhiyaan, Mumbai 13. Kachra Vahatuk Shramik Sangh 14. LABIA A queer Feminist LBT Collective 15. Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanghathan- MKSS 16. MoneyLife Foundation 17. National Alliance of Peoples Movements (NAPM) 18. National Federation of Hawkers 19. Pani Haq Samiti, Mumbai 20. People Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), 21. Police Reform Watch 22. Rethink Aadhaar 23. Sahaj 24. Saheli 25. Say No 2 UID 26. Say No to Aadhaar- Campaign, 27. Vasudha Kendra 28. Vimochana Individual Endorsements 1. A Rebello 2. A.Zakaria 3. Aabida Khato 4. Aaditya Bhartiya 5. Aakarsh Bali 6. Aamin Khan 7. Aarti Bharadwaj 8. Aarti Bhobe 9. Aashish Khakha 10. Aashna Jamal 11. Abdul Gani 12. Abdul Hafiz 13. Abdul Haleem 14. Abdul Karim Karim 15. Abdul Nazer 16. Abdul Rahman Shah 17. Abdul Shakeel Abha Bhaiya 18. Abdulla A 19. Abha Bhaiya 20. Abhijeet Kumar 21. Abhijit Sengupta 22. Abhilash C Mouli 23. Abhilash Ramachandran 24. Abhimanyu Sharma 25. Abhishek Balwadkar 26. Abid Aboobaker 27. Abid Vijapura 28. Abinash Dash Choudhury 29. Abir Bose 30. Abrar Alam 31. Achin Vanaik Acti (organisati) 32. Adithya Prakassh 33. Aditya Nigam 34. Adityo D 35. Adv Achamatti HU 36. 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