SC orders Aadhaar as valid doc for Bihar SIR

The Supreme Court on Monday ordered that Aadhaar must be accepted as the 12th valid document for inclusion in Bihar's electoral rolls as part of the special intensive revision (SIR), intervening after complaints that election officials were refusing to recognise it despite earlier directions.

- Utkarsh Anand

A bench of justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi turned down the Election Commission of India's (ECI) reservations against formally adding Aadhaar to its list of approved identity proofs, stressing that while the document cannot establish citizenship, it remains a valid indicator of identity and residence.

“The Aadhaar card shall be treated as the 12th document by the ECI. However, it is open for the authorities to examine the validity and genuineness of the Aadhaar card itself. It is clarified that Aadhaar will not be treated as proof of citizenship,” directed the bench, adding that the poll panel must issue instructions to its field officials “during the course of the day.”

In its order released in the evening, the court further clarified that ECI will issue instructions in this regard on Tuesday.

“It is, however, made clear that the authorities shall be entitled to verify the authenticity and genuinity of the Aadhaar card...by seeking further proof/ documents,” the order read.

The direction is significant as it not only mandates the Election Commission of India (ECI) to treat Aadhaar on par with the ll other notified documents but also requires the poll body to verify its authenticity for establishing a voter's identity and residence. To be sure, the order comes more than two months after the controversial exercise first began, and after the bulk of the field survey and door-to-door processes have been completed.