(a) whether the Election Commission have decided to introduce Electronic Voting Machines
and mandatory use of Photo Identity Cards in the assembly elections;
(b) if so, the details in this regard;
(c) whether the Election Commission have completed the task of issuing Photo Identity Cards
to all the entitled citizens in the country; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefore?
MINISTER OF LAW, JUSTICE & COMPANY AFFAIRS (SHRI RAM JETHMALANI)
(a) to (d) : Yes, Sir. The Electronic Voting Machines were used extensively and successfully
during the previous General Elections to the Lok Sabha and certain Legislative Assemblies, viz.,
Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, NCT of Delhi and very recently Haryana and Orissa. Though the
production of electors` Photo-Identity Cards at the time of voting has not been made mandatory
so far, the Election Commission insisted upon their production or any specified alternative
proof of identity during the recent elections to the Legislative Assembly of Haryana which
State has been able to provide these cards to its 86.82% of electors. A Statement showing
the status Report on progress of issue of electors` Photo Identity Cards in different States
is laid on the Table of the House. In this connection, it may be stated that the scheme of
issue of electors` Photo Identity Cards is a continuous and ongoing scheme and, therefore, it
is practically not possible to cover all the electors in the country under this scheme at any
given point of time.
STATEMENT IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 556 FOR 28TH FEBRUARY, 2000 As
on 30.11.99 ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA
STATUS REPORT ON PROGRESS OF ELECTORS PHOTO IDENTITY CARDS
Sl. No. STATES/UTs TOTAL ELECTORS Electors issued Percentage with Identity Cards 4 as % of 3
1. Andhra Pradesh Oct.99 49,140,231 32,568,406 66.28
2. Arunachal Pradesh May,99 565,283 371,734 65.76
3. Assam May, 98 12,575,854 67,479 0.54
4. Bihar April,98 58,438,317 21,681,836 37.10
5. Goa Jan,99 878,707 525,575 59.81 6. Gujarat Nov., 99 29,507,882 23,177,051 78.55
7 Haryana Oct., 99 10,998,748 9,549,245 86.82
8. Himachal Pradesh Nov.,99 3,740,172 2,653,669 70.95
9. Jammu & Kashmir 5,022,782 0 0.00 10. Karnataka Dec., 98 33,052,802 24,046,881 72.75 11. Kerala April,99 21,152,899 15,327,431 72.46 12. Madhya Pradesh Dec.,98 44,640,047 27,706,647 62.07 13. Maharashtra May,99 56,173,068 44,261,305 78.79 14. Manipur July,99 1,330,299 1,033,733 77.71 15. Meghalaya Sep., 98 1,157,450 644,140 55.65 16. Mizoram 441,844 0 0.00 17. Nagaland Dec., 98 925,831 625,996 67.61 18. Orissa Jan,99 23,373,512 18,129,314 77.56 19. Punjab Oct.,99 15,677,459 10,803,963 68.91 20. Rajasthan Nov.,99 29,738,496 21,331,325 71.73 21. Sikkim July,99 252,190 200,077 79.34 22. Tamil Nadu Oct., 99 45,577,323 24,834,054 54.49 23. Tripura May,99 1,725,809 1,229,931 71.27 24. Uttar Pradesh Feb, 99 101,943,066 53,027,456 52.02 25. West Bengal May, 99 46,832,298 36,013,308 76.90 26. A & N Islands Dec., 98 231,928 180,805 77.96 27. Chandigarh April,99 538,607 381,048 70.75 28. D&N Haveli March, 99 95,832 67,000 69.91 29. Daman & Diu Feb., 99 71,931 45,645 63.46 30. NCT of Delhi Aug.,98 8,364,773 5,705,390 68.21 31. Lakshadweep Feb.,99 36,738 31,813 86.59 32. Pondicherry May, 99 665,486 555,675 83.50
ALL INDIA TOTAL 604,867,664 376,777,932 62.29