Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Thinking before linking: On linking electoral rolls with Aadhaar

Thinking before linking: On linking electoral rolls with Aadhaar

Despite progressive aspects, linking electoral rolls (चुनाव-संबंधी, निर्वाचन संबंधी) with Aadhaar raises apprehensions (आशंका, अनुभव, चिन्ता, बेचैनी)

An unwillingness (अनिच्छा, अप्रसन्नता) to allow meaningful debate and invite wider consultation can undo (revoke, overrule, overturn, repeal, reverse, take back, cancel, annul, nullify, invalidate, negate) even the progressive (प्रगतिवाद, विकासशील) aspects (पहलू, कारक, बिंदु, विशेषता) of problematic legislation (विधान, कानूनों, अधिनियमों). Ignoring protests, the Union government has managed to push through (ऊपर खींचना) a Bill in Parliament to link electoral roll data with the Aadhaar ecosystem (पारिस्थितिकी तंत्र, जटिल स्थिति/वातावरण). On the face of it (apparently, seemingly, evidently/ostensibly; at first glance), the Bill’s objective (उद्देश्य, लक्ष्य) — to purify the rolls and weed out bogus (जाली, नकली, झूठा, कपटपूर्ण) voters — may appear laudable (प्रशंसनीय), and the seeding (link) of Aadhaar data with voter identity particulars (detail, specification, feature, aspect) may seem to be a good way of achieving it. Indeed (वास्तव में, निर्विवाद रूप से), this can also allow for remote voting, a measure (उपाय, कदम, प्रक्रिया) that could help migrant (प्रवासी, औपनिवेशिक) voters. The four qualifying dates for revision of rolls will help in faster enrolment (नामांकन, भरती) of those who turn 18. However, other aspects hold grave (crucial/critical, important/significant, serious) implications (consequence/outcome, ramification, repercussion) for electoral democracy. The Opposition underscored (underline, emphasize, highlight) the possible disenfranchisement (the condition of being stripped of the right (to vote)) of legitimate (legal, lawful, constitutional) voters unwilling or unable to submit Aadhaar details, the possible violation (breach, contravention, infringement, transgression) of privacy, and the possibility that demographic (relating to the statistical study/structure of populations, especially human beings) details may be misused for profiling (describe, depict, outline, characterize, portray) of voters. Each is a valid concern that ought to (must, should) be considered (examine, appraise, review) by a parliamentary committee. Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju has said the proposal (motion, draft, scheme/plan.) has been unanimously (without opposition, agreed to (by everyone involved)) approved by the Parliamentary Committee on Law and Justice. But, it is not clear if the specifics (details, particulars) of the Bill (A Bill is a draft statute that becomes law after it is passed by both the Houses of Parliament and assented to by the President. All legislative proposals are brought before Parliament in the forms of Bills) had been discussed widely and public opinion sought.

There are indeed complaints that some electors may be registered in more than one constituency (a particular area whose voters elect a representative to a legislative body) and that non-citizens have been enrolled (register, enter, join, admit) , but these can be addressed (tackle, deal with, attend to, try to sort out) by other identification processes. In fact, the Aadhaar database may be irrelevant to verify voter identity because it is an identifier of residents and not citizens. And the complaints of wrongful enrolment have come up (arise, occur, happen, come about, transpire, emerge, surface) even against the unique identity number allotted to more than 90% of the population. Mr. Rijiju is confident that the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill satisfies the tests laid down by the Supreme Court — a permissible (permissible) law, a legitimate state interest (a particular (common) concern, especially in politics or business) and proportionality (similarity, correlation). However, this has to be rigorously (carefully, thoroughly, diligently) examined. Even though the Aadhaar requirement is said to be voluntary, in practice (in reality, actually, in real life, realistically, practically, effectively) it can be made mandatory (obligatory, compulsory, binding, required, requisite). The Bill says the election registration officer may require the submission of the Aadhaar number both for new enrolments and those already enrolled. The choice not to submit is linked to a “sufficient cause”, which will be separately prescribed (advise, recommend, suggest, stipulate, determine, require). Whether the few permissible reasons not to intimate (announce, state, disclose, reveal; indicate, suggest) one’s Aadhaar number include an objection (protestation, statement of dissatisfaction, grievance, charge, accusation, criticism) on principle is unknown. If an individual’s refusal to submit the detail is deemed (consider, regard as, view as) unacceptable, it may result in (cause, bring on, bring about) loss of franchise (right to vote, voting rights). Therefore, the measure may fail the test of proportionality. If the Government really has no ulterior (intentionally kept concealed, hidden, covert, secret undisclosed, unrevealed (reason for doing something)) motive in the form of triggering (cause, produce, bring about, prompt) mass deletions (removal) from the electoral rolls, it must invite public opinion and allow deeper parliamentary scrutiny (the close examination and investigation of government policies, actions and spending by the parliamentary (standing & select) committees) before implementing the new provisions (term, clause, requirement, stipulation, condition) that now have the approval of both Houses of Parliament.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.electoral roll (noun)

Hindi Meaning - चुनाव-संबंधी, निर्वाचन संबंधी
English Meaning - list of voters; voters list.

2.progressive (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रगतिवाद, विकासशील
English Meaning - forward-looking, forward-thinking; reforming, revolutionary.

3.aspect (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पहलू, कारक, बिंदु, विशेषता
English Meaning - factor, point, feature.

4.apprehension (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आशंका, अनुभव, चिन्ता, बेचैनी
English Meaning - misgiving, disquiet, concern, worry, unease.

5.unwillingness (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अनिच्छा, अप्रसन्नता
English Meaning - disinclination, reluctance, hesitation.

6.legislation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विधान, कानूनों, अधिनियमों
English Meaning - body of laws, acts, rules, regulations, statutes.

7.push through (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - ऊपर खींचना
English Meaning - to make a plan to put something into use as quickly as possible.

8.ecosystem (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पारिस्थितिकी तंत्र, जटिल स्थिति/वातावरण
English Meaning - complex situation/environment.

9.objective (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उद्देश्य, लक्ष्य
English Meaning - aim, goal, target.

10.bogus (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - जाली, नकली, झूठा, कपटपूर्ण
English Meaning - fake, false, fraudulent.

11.laudable (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रशंसनीय
English Meaning - praiseworthy, commendable, admirable.

12.indeed (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - वास्तव में, निर्विवाद रूप से
English Meaning - in fact, actually, undeniably.

13.measure (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उपाय, कदम, प्रक्रिया
English Meaning - action, step, procedure.

14.migrant (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रवासी, औपनिवेशिक
English Meaning - a person who moves from one region to another - either within a country or across national borders in order to find work or better living conditions.

15.enrolment (noun)

Hindi Meaning - नामांकन, भरती
English Meaning - the act of enrolling/joining.

16.Bill (noun)

English Meaning - A Bill is a draft statute that becomes law after it is passed by both the Houses of Parliament and assented to by the President. All legislative proposals are brought before Parliament in the forms of Bills.

17.undo (verb)

English Meaning - revoke, overrule, overturn, repeal, reverse, take back, cancel, annul, nullify, invalidate, negate.

18.on the face of it (phrase)

English Meaning - apparently, seemingly, evidently/ostensibly; at first glance.

19.weed out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - eliminate, remove, get rid of.

20.seed (verb)

English Meaning - link.

21.particular (noun)

English Meaning - detail, specification, feature, aspect.

22.grave (adjective)

English Meaning - crucial/critical, important/significant, serious.

23.implications (noun)

English Meaning - consequence/outcome, ramification, repercussion.

24.underscore (verb)

English Meaning - underline, emphasize, highlight.

25.disenfranchisement (noun)

English Meaning - the condition of being stripped of the right (to vote).

26.legitimate (adjective)

English Meaning - legal, lawful, constitutional.

27.violation (noun)

English Meaning - breach, contravention, infringement, transgression.

28.demographic (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the statistical study/structure of populations, especially human beings.

29.profile (verb)

English Meaning - describe, depict, outline, characterize, portray.

30.ought to (modal verb)

English Meaning - must, should.

31.consider (verb)

English Meaning - examine, appraise, review.

32.Parliamentary Standing Committee/Parliamentary panel (noun)

English Meaning - it is a committee (consisting of Members of Parliament) constituted usually on an annual basis to enable detailed consideration/discussion on all bills (all proposed laws).

33.Parliamentary select committee (noun)

English Meaning - ‘parliamentary select committee’ can be formed for a specific purpose, for instance, to deliberate on a particular bill. Once the Bill is disposed of, that select committee ceases to exist.

34.proposal (noun)

English Meaning - motion, draft, scheme/plan.

35.unanimously (adverb)

English Meaning - without opposition, agreed to (by everyone involved).

36.specifics (noun)

English Meaning - details, particulars.

37.sought past participle seek (verb)

English Meaning - ask for, request, demand, call for.

38.constituency (noun)

English Meaning - a particular area whose voters elect a representative to a legislative body.

39.enrol (verb)

English Meaning - register, enter, join, admit.

40.address (verb)

English Meaning - tackle, deal with, attend to, try to sort out.

41.come up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - arise, occur, happen, come about, transpire, emerge, surface.

42.Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 (noun)

English Meaning - The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 20, 2021. The Bill amends the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Representation of the People Act, 1951 to implement certain electoral reforms. The 1950 Act provides for allocation of seats and delimitation of constituencies for elections, qualifications of voters, and preparation of electoral rolls. The 1951 Act provides for the conduct of elections, and offences and disputes related to elections.

43.lay down (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - formulate, stipulate & insist on a rule.

44.permissible (adjective)

English Meaning - permitted, allowable, authorized, sanctioned.

45.interest (noun)

English Meaning - a particular (common) concern, especially in politics or business.

46.proportionality (noun)

English Meaning - similarity, correlation.

47.rigorously (adverb)

English Meaning - carefully, thoroughly, diligently.

48.in practice (phrase)

English Meaning - in reality, actually, in real life, realistically, practically, effectively.

49.mandatory (adjective)

English Meaning - obligatory, compulsory, binding, required, requisite.

50.prescribe (verb)

English Meaning - advise, recommend, suggest, stipulate, determine, require.

51.intimate (verb)

English Meaning - announce, state, disclose, reveal; indicate, suggest.

52.objection (noun)

English Meaning - protestation, statement of dissatisfaction, grievance, charge, accusation, criticism.

53.deem (verb)

English Meaning - consider, regard as, view as.

54.result in (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - cause, bring on, bring about.

55.franchise (noun)

English Meaning - right to vote, voting rights.

56.ulterior (adjective)

English Meaning - intentionally kept concealed, hidden, covert, secret undisclosed, unrevealed (reason for doing something).

57.trigger (verb)

English Meaning - cause, produce, bring about, prompt.

58.deletion (noun)

English Meaning - removal.

59.deeper comparative adjective of deep (adjective)

English Meaning - intense, serious.

60.parliamentary scrutiny (noun)

English Meaning - the close examination and investigation of government policies, actions and spending by the parliamentary (standing & select) committees.

61.provision (noun)

English Meaning - term, clause, requirement, stipulation, condition.