How to Link Aadhaar with Voter ID

Why Would You Even Link Them?

The Election Commission encourages voters to link their Aadhaar with their Voter ID though it doesn’t force anyone to. Here’s the reasoning behind it:

Cleaner voter rolls. The main goal is to help the ECI spot and remove duplicate or fake entries, such as the same person registered in two different constituencies. Since one Aadhaar can only connect to one Voter ID linking supports the “one person one vote” idea.

Simpler identity checks. Aadhaar-based verification makes it easier for election officials to confirm who you are and keep records accurate.

Less administrative mess. Better authentication means fewer errors and less back-and-forth when maintaining the rolls.

One thing worth keeping in mind: Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship. The Supreme Court and the government have both made this clear multiple times. Aadhaar only confirms your identity your voting rights come from being a citizen not from having Aadhaar. So linking doesn’t actually prove or give you the right to vote.

How to Link via the ECI Portal (Step-by-Step)

Linking is done by submitting Form 6B on the ECI’s Voters’ Service Portal. Here’s how:

1. Head to voters.eci.gov.in and either sign up or log in using your mobile number.
2. Go to the Forms section and pick Form 6B.
3. Select your state and your Assembly or Parliamentary constituency then enter your EPIC number and personal details exactly as they appear on your Voter ID.
4. Enter your Aadhaar number and verify it with the OTP sent to your registered mobile (or email).
5. Hit Preview to double-check everything then click Submit.
6. Save the reference number you get you’ll need it to track your application status on the same portal.

The linking usually shows up in the records within a few weeks. There’s no fee and since it’s voluntary there’s no deadline either.

How to Link via the Voter Helpline App

Prefer doing things on your phone? The Voter Helpline app works just as well:

1. Download the Voter Helpline app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
2. Open it tap I Agree and continue.
3. Select Voter Registration then choose the Form 6B (Aadhaar/electoral authentication) form.
4. Enter your EPIC number and personal details followed by your Aadhaar number.
5. Verify with the OTP sent to your mobile.
6. Submit and note down the reference number so you can track your request later.

Prefer going in person? You can also fill out a physical Form 6B and hand it to your Booth Level Officer (BLO) or local electoral registration office. This is handy if you don’t have a mobile number registered for OTP.

Is Linking Actually Mandatory?

No and this is backed by law and Supreme Court rulings.

Under the Representation of the People Act 1950 (amended by the Election Laws Amendment Act 2021) submitting Aadhaar is not compulsory. Your voter registration cannot be denied and your name cannot be removed from the electoral roll just because you didn’t provide Aadhaar.

The Supreme Court has backed this up too it paused the earlier NERPAP linking exercise in 2015 recognized privacy as a fundamental right in the Puttaswamy judgment in 2017 and in a 2023 case (G. Niranjan v. Election Commission of India) the ECI confirmed before the Court that Form 6B submission is voluntary. There’s currently no penalty fine or any negative consequence for not linking.

That said the issue hasn’t been without controversy. Form 6B previously gave voters little room to decline which civil-society groups argued made the whole thing feel mandatory in practice. Following a high-level meeting in March 2025 between the ECI central government and UIDAI/MeitY it was agreed that linking would stay voluntary and that Form 6B would be updated to include a clear opt-out option giving voters a third choice to decline with a reason.

Bottom line: Link if you want to. You don’t have to and your voting rights don’t depend on it.

What If Your Names Don’t Match?

Since linking is an authentication step a mismatch between your Voter ID and Aadhaar usually in the name or date of birth can cause your request to fail or get flagged. The fix is to get both records to agree before trying again:

• If the error is on your Voter ID: File Form 8 (for correcting electoral roll entries) on the ECI Voters’ Service Portal or through the Voter Helpline app.
• If the error is on your Aadhaar: Update it through UIDAI at myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in or visit an Aadhaar Seva Kendra.

Once the name and date of birth match across both documents go ahead and submit (or resubmit) Form 6B. Also make sure the mobile number you’re using for OTP is active verification won’t work without it.