Bihar SIR: Consider Aadhaar as valid ID document, SC tells EC; clarifies it's not a citizenship proof

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Election Commission (EC) to consider Aadhaar as the 12th prescribed document for establishing the identity of voters in Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The apex court clarified that Aadhaar should only be treated as proof of identity, not as proof of citizenship. "Only genuine citizens will be allowed to vote; those claiming to be genuine on the basis of forged documents will be excluded," the court observed.

The bench directed the EC to examine the issue and, if necessary, issue appropriate directions for acceptance of Aadhaar in the ongoing SIR exercise. At the same time, it stressed the need for the poll body to ascertain the genuineness of Aadhaar cards submitted by electors for identity purposes.

The matter comes amid scrutiny of nearly three lakh electors in Bihar served notices over "doubtful citizenship" in the draft rolls published on August 1.