Biometric voting in India? Supreme Court agrees to examine proposal

The Supreme Court of India on Monday agreed to examine whether biometric and facial recognition systems can be introduced at polling booths to strengthen the electoral process and curb fraud.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the Centre and the Election Commission of India (ECI) on a public interest litigation filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay.

The court observed that the proposal raises “important questions” but clarified that such measures cannot be implemented immediately and would require a legal and administrative overhaul.

Also Read | SC opens door for transwoman to apply for Delhi teaching posts beyond gender categories

Court flags legal, logistical challenges

While agreeing to examine the issue, the bench noted that introducing biometric authentication at polling stations would involve amendments to existing election laws and substantial financial investment.

“The prayers cannot be considered for the upcoming elections,” the court said, adding that the feasibility of such a system could be explored for future parliamentary or state elections.

During the hearing, the bench initially suggested that the petitioner approach the ECI first. However, it proceeded to issue notice after being informed that the plea was not aimed at immediate implementation but long-term electoral reform.

PIL cites risks of fraud, duplicate voting

In his plea, Upadhyay raised concerns over electoral malpractices such as impersonation, duplicate voting, bribery and the presence of “ghost voters.”

According to the petition, the present method of conducting polls through the use of voter IDs and verification is still exposed to various risks because of old database systems, mistakes made during processing, and the lack of instant checking.

Also Read | DA-DR mismatch illegal? Supreme Court delivers key verdict for retirees

Furthermore, this petition recommends the use of fingerprints and iris authentication in order to achieve a goal of “one citizen, one vote” and to enable the creation of an instant tracking mechanism.

This document refers to the provisions of Article 324 of the Constitution, which grants the ECI powers to conduct any reforms needed for conducting fair elections.