Linking Aadhaar with your voter ID: is it compulsory? (Form 6B)
Form 6B lets you give your Aadhaar number to the electoral roll. The rules and the Election Commission's statement to the Supreme Court say it is optional. Here is what that means.
By the Janadesh Online editorial team. Facts last checked against the sources below on 25 September 2026.
What Form 6B is
Form 6B is the form through which an elector furnishes their Aadhaar number to the Electoral Registration Officer, so that the roll entry can be authenticated. It exists because the Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021 allowed Electoral Registration Officers to ask existing or prospective electors for an Aadhaar number to establish identity, on a voluntary basis. The Registration of Electors (Amendment) Rules, 2022 set out the procedure.
Is it compulsory? What the Commission told the Court
- 2021
The Election Laws (Amendment) Act allows Aadhaar to be sought from electors on a voluntary basis.
- 2022
The Registration of Electors (Amendment) Rules add Rule 26-B on submitting Aadhaar numbers.
- 18 Sep 2023
In G. Niranjan v. Election Commission of India (Writ Petition (C) 177/2023), the Commission tells the Supreme Court that Aadhaar submission is not mandatory under Rule 26-B, and that it will make clarificatory changes to Forms 6 and 6B.
As reported from that hearing, a voter's name cannot be removed from the electoral roll for declining to link Aadhaar. MediaNama has argued that the original wording of Form 6B, which asked people without an Aadhaar number to say so, made the option feel compulsory, which is the context for the Commission's promise to clarify the forms.
Forms are revised over time. Read the current wording of Form 6 and Form 6B on the Commission's portal, or ask your Booth Level Officer or the 1950 helpline, before you decide.
Aadhaar as ID at the polling station is a separate thing
Linking Aadhaar to the roll and using Aadhaar as your ID on polling day are unrelated. Aadhaar is one of the 12 photo IDs accepted at the booth, and you can also vote with your voter ID or any of the other listed documents. See how to vote for the full list, and how to register for the standard route to get on the roll.
Frequently asked questions
Is linking Aadhaar with my voter ID mandatory?
No. Under Rule 26-B of the Registration of Electors (Amendment) Rules, 2022, submitting an Aadhaar number is not mandatory, and the Election Commission told the Supreme Court so on 18 September 2023.
What is Form 6B?
It is the form through which an elector furnishes their Aadhaar number to the Electoral Registration Officer so the roll entry can be authenticated.
Will my name be removed if I do not link Aadhaar?
As reported from the Supreme Court hearing, a voter cannot be removed from the roll for declining to link Aadhaar.
Can I still use Aadhaar as ID to vote?
Yes. Aadhaar is one of the 12 photo IDs accepted at polling stations. That is separate from linking it to the roll.
Where can I get help?
Call the Election Commission helpline 1950 or contact your Booth Level Officer or Electoral Registration Officer.
Sources
- LiveLaw: Aadhaar not mandatory for electoral rolls, ECI tells Supreme Court (18 Sep 2023)
- The Tribune: Aadhaar not mandatory for electoral rolls, poll panel tells Supreme Court
- MediaNama: Aadhaar-Voter ID link, voluntary or implicitly mandatory?
- ECI SVEEP: How to vote
Janadesh Online is independent and not affiliated with the Election Commission of India. Rules and procedures can change between elections; the Commission’s own notices are the authority. Spotted an error? Tell us on the contact page.
