1[23. Inclusion of names in electoral rolls.-(1) Any person whose name is not included in the
electoral roll of a constituency may apply to the electoral registration officer for the inclusion of his
name in that roll.
(2) The electoral registration officer shall, if satisfied that the applicant is entitled to be registered in the electoral roll, direct his name to be included therein 2[after proper verification of facts in such manner as may be prescribed]:
Provided that if the applicant is registered in the electoral roll of any other constituency, the electoral registration officer shall inform the electoral registration officer of that other constituency and that officer shall, on receipt of the information, strike off the applicant's name from that roll 2[after proper verification of facts in such manner as may be prescribed].
(3) No amendment, transposition or deletion of any entry shall be made under section 22 and no direction for the inclusion of a name in the electoral roll of a constituency shall be given under this section, after the last date for making nominations for an election in that constituency or in the parliamentary constituency within which that constituency is comprised and before the completion of that election.]
3[(4) The electoral registration officer may for the purpose of establishing the identity of any person require that such person may furnish the Aadhaar number given by the Unique Identification Authority of India as per the provisions of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 (18 of 2016):
Provided that the electoral registration officer may also require the Aadhaar number from persons already included in the electoral roll for the purposes of authentication of entries in electoral roll and to identify registration of name of the same person in the electoral roll of more than one constituency or more than once in the same constituency.
(5) Every person whose name is included in the electoral roll may intimate his Aadhaar number to such authority in such form and manner as may be prescribed, on or before a *date to be notified by the Central Government in the Official Gazette.
(6) No application for inclusion of name in the electoral roll shall be denied and no entries in the electoral roll shall be deleted for inability of an individual to furnish or intimate Aadhaar number due to such sufficient cause as may be prescribed:
Provided that such individual may be allowed to furnish such other alternate documents as may be prescribed.
Explanation.-For the purposes of this section, the expression Aadhaar number shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in clause (a) of Section 2 of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 (18 of 2016).]
(2) The electoral registration officer shall, if satisfied that the applicant is entitled to be registered in the electoral roll, direct his name to be included therein 2[after proper verification of facts in such manner as may be prescribed]:
Provided that if the applicant is registered in the electoral roll of any other constituency, the electoral registration officer shall inform the electoral registration officer of that other constituency and that officer shall, on receipt of the information, strike off the applicant's name from that roll 2[after proper verification of facts in such manner as may be prescribed].
(3) No amendment, transposition or deletion of any entry shall be made under section 22 and no direction for the inclusion of a name in the electoral roll of a constituency shall be given under this section, after the last date for making nominations for an election in that constituency or in the parliamentary constituency within which that constituency is comprised and before the completion of that election.]
3[(4) The electoral registration officer may for the purpose of establishing the identity of any person require that such person may furnish the Aadhaar number given by the Unique Identification Authority of India as per the provisions of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 (18 of 2016):
Provided that the electoral registration officer may also require the Aadhaar number from persons already included in the electoral roll for the purposes of authentication of entries in electoral roll and to identify registration of name of the same person in the electoral roll of more than one constituency or more than once in the same constituency.
(5) Every person whose name is included in the electoral roll may intimate his Aadhaar number to such authority in such form and manner as may be prescribed, on or before a *date to be notified by the Central Government in the Official Gazette.
(6) No application for inclusion of name in the electoral roll shall be denied and no entries in the electoral roll shall be deleted for inability of an individual to furnish or intimate Aadhaar number due to such sufficient cause as may be prescribed:
Provided that such individual may be allowed to furnish such other alternate documents as may be prescribed.
Explanation.-For the purposes of this section, the expression Aadhaar number shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in clause (a) of Section 2 of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 (18 of 2016).]
1. Subs. by Act 47 of 1966, s. 10, for s. 23 (w.e.f. 14-12-1966).
2. Ins. by Act 36 of 2010, s. 4 (w.e.f. 10-2-2011)
3. Ins. by Act 49 of 2021, s. 4 (w.e.f. 1-8-2022).
*1st April, 20233 section 25 (5), vide notification No. S.O. 2805(E), dated 17th June, 2022, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3 (ii)