Insaaf Times Desk

A major controversy has erupted in Telangana over allegations that the Election Commission of India (ECI) shared voter data, including photographs, with the state government. According to an investigation by Reporters’ Collective, the state government in 2019 allegedly collaborated with private companies to use this data for various government projects.

In November 2019, the Telangana government launched the Pensioner Live Verification System (PLVS) to verify the identity and existence of pension recipients. Hyderabad-based Posidec Technologies Private Limited was involved in the project. RTI documents reveal that Posidec “developed four web services and integrated them with T-App, the Election Department’s EPIC data, and the Pension Department’s database.”

Following the pensioner system, the Real-Time Data Authentication Initiative (RTDAI) was introduced. Under this initiative, pensioners were required to upload selfies to verify their identity and life status. The technology was later applied to other services, including Degree Online Services Telangana (DOST) and the Transport Department. Reports indicate that the RTDAI system uses EPIC data for facial recognition to authenticate citizens’ identities.

Digital rights activist Srinivas Kodali sent a complaint to the Chief Election Officer (CEO), alleging that the ECI had shared voter data with the state government as far back as 2015. He claimed that this violated a Supreme Court order that prohibited linking Aadhaar with voter ID cards.

TMC MP Mahua Moitra stated, “The Election Commission and Gyanesh Kumar have been caught lying again. They refuse to share booth videos and CCTV footage, yet Telangana’s entire ECI database was handed over to the private company Posidec.” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also accused the ECI and BJP of removing names from voter lists and alleged “voting theft.”

Analysts say the revelations raise serious questions about the Election Commission and the state government’s data-sharing practices. Breaches of privacy and violations of citizens’ rights could undermine public trust in democracy. Calls for an independent investigation and action against responsible officials are growing louder.