Shillong: Chief Electoral Officer of Meghalaya, Dr. BDR Tiwari, has clarified that linking the Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) with Aadhaar remains entirely voluntary for citizens.
Speaking on Monday, Dr. Tiwari stated that although several central government schemes mandate Aadhaar linkage, the decision to link Aadhaar with one’s voter ID is based solely on individual consent.
He also informed that the Election Department had identified 524 individuals in the state holding duplicate EPICs, and appropriate steps have been taken to rectify these cases.
In a major digital reform initiative, Dr. Tiwari highlighted that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is currently developing a new unified digital interface aimed at streamlining electoral processes for voters, election officials, political parties, and civil society groups.
The new platform, called ECINET, will integrate over 40 existing mobile and web applications into a single digital ecosystem. It will feature an enhanced User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX), making it easier to manage all election-related activities from one centralised system.
“This initiative is designed to reduce the inconvenience of navigating multiple apps and remembering different login credentials,” Dr. Tiwari said, adding that ECINET will significantly improve accessibility and efficiency in the country’s electoral operations.
