By IANS,
Bhopal : Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswamy Thursday mooted introduction of uniform national identity cards throughout the country, saying the measure was the only option to curb election-related irregularities.
He inaugurated the ninth conference of the state election commissioners here Thursday.
Gopalaswamy said that it was not possible to curb the poll-related irregularities without issuing the national identity cards.
The idea has been discussed off and on in media and political circles for over 20 years, but no measures have been taken to concretise the proposal.
He exhorted the state election commissioners to ensure free and fair elections to Panchayat and local bodies for which “rectification of electoral rolls was the first and foremost requirement”.
Enumerating common irregularities and mistakes in the electoral rolls, he said that the state governments, the voters, the political parties and the media must play their part in removing these flaws.
He said that frequent elections cause hardships to people and the country should not remain in the election mode always.
Gopalaswamy called upon the state election commissioners to improve functioning of their institutions so that they could discharge their duties in a better way.