EC should consider Aadhaar, ration card as valid proof for voter roll revision: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Thursday said that the Election Commission should consider Aadhaar card, voter ID card and ration card as valid documents for the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, reported Live Law.

A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi noted that the list of 11 documents, which the poll panel had said could be submitted as proof of citizenship, was not exhaustive.

“Therefore, in our prima facie view, since the list is not exhaustive, in our opinion, it will be in the interest of justice, the ECI [Election Commission of India] will also consider the Aadhaar card, Electoral Photo Identity Card issued by the Election Commission and the ration card,” the bench was quoted as saying.

The court was hearing a clutch of petitions challenging the Election Commission’s decision to carry out a special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections, which are expected to take place in October or November.

The matter has been posted for further hearing on July 28. The bench on Thursday asked the Election Commission to file its counter-affidavit by July 21.

The revision of the electoral rolls in Bihar was announced by the Election Commission on June 24.

As part of the exercise, persons whose names were not on the 2003 voter list will need...

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