Supreme Court Intervention on Aadhaar Inclusion in Electoral Rolls

The Supreme Court of India's intervention to include the Aadhaar card as a valid document for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar's electoral rolls marks a significant shift towards maintaining the fundamental right to vote.

Key Points

• Judicial Decision: The court ordered the Election Commission of India (ECI) to accept Aadhaar among 12 valid documents for electoral verification.
• ECI's Initial Stance: The ECI initially excluded Aadhaar, claiming it was only proof of residency, not citizenship.
• Supreme Court's Argument: The court highlighted inconsistencies, noting other accepted documents like passports or birth certificates don't conclusively prove citizenship either.

Implications of Exclusion

• Empirical evidence shows that 90% of Bihar's population holds Aadhaar, whereas only 2% have passports.
• Excluding Aadhaar risked disenfranchising vast numbers of genuine voters, notably the poor and marginalized.

Consequences of Rushed SIR

• Exclusion Statistics: Over 65 lakh electors were excluded from the draft roll.
• Anomalies Identified: Disproportionate removal of women, improbable death rates, and questionable resident shifts were noted.

Benefits of Including Aadhaar

• Facilitates a smoother verification process for the 65 lakh excluded electors and those needing document validation.
• Aligns with political and civil society activists' concerns about the ECI's verification stance.

Broader Implications

• This decision sets a precedent for other revisions across the country, emphasizing accuracy and inclusivity.
• The ECI is urged to adopt a more thorough and humane verification approach to protect citizens' electoral rights.