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Key Points

The Election Commission has instructed Bihar's Chief Electoral Officer to implement the Supreme Court's new Aadhaar directive. Aadhaar will now serve as the 12th acceptable identity document for voter verification in Bihar. The Commission emphasized that Aadhaar proves identity but not citizenship status. Strict implementation is required with serious consequences for any refusal to accept valid Aadhaar cards.

Key Points: ECI Directs Bihar CEO on Supreme Court Aadhaar Voter Verification

  • Supreme Court directs ECI to accept Aadhaar for Bihar voter verification
  • Aadhaar serves as identity proof not citizenship documentation
  • ECI warns of serious consequences for non-compliance
  • Verification process allows authenticity checks like other documents
2 min read

ECI issues instructions to Bihar CEO on SC's fresh Aadhaar mandate

ECI issues strict instructions to Bihar CEO implementing Supreme Court's Aadhaar mandate as 12th identity document for voter verification drive.

"The Aadhaar Card shall be treated as the 12th document - Election Commission of India"

New Delhi, Sep 9

A day after the Supreme Court revised its directions related to the use of Aadhaar as proof in the process for Bihar electoral roll revision, the ECI on Tuesday issued instructions to the state’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) over the new arrangement.

The ECI told the CEO, “The Aadhaar Card shall be treated as the 12th document, in addition to the 11 documents listed in Annexure C and Annexure D of the SIR order dated June 24.”

“The Aadhaar Card is to be accepted and utilised as a proof of identity and not as a proof of citizenship, in terms of Section 9 of the Aadhaar (Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2026,” said the ECI.

The Supreme Court on Monday instructed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to accept the Aadhar card as the 12th document in the stipulated list for conducting the voter verification drive in Bihar, and also called for its inclusion as a document for identity proof.

While issuing instructions to the CEO on Tuesday, the ECI said, “Under Section 23(4) of the Representation of People Act, 1950, the Aadhaar Card is already one of the documents enumerated for the purpose of establishing the identity of a person.”

The Commission directed the CEI to bring the new instructions to the knowledge of all DEOs/EROs/AEROs and all other concerned authorities for their strict implementation.

“Any instance of non-compliance or refusal to accept Aadhaar in accordance with this directive shall be treated with utmost seriousness,” the ECI warned.

On Monday, while hearing a petition of the Association for Democratic versus ECI, the apex court said, “We direct the Election Commission of India and its authorities to accept Aadhar Card as a proof of identity for inclusion or exclusion in the revised voter list of the State of Bihar.”

Aadhaar Card, for this purpose, shall be treated as the 12th document by the Authorities. It is, however, made clear that the authorities shall be entitled to verify the authenticity of the Aadhaar Card, like any of the other enumerated documents, by seeking further proof/documents.

“The Election Commission shall issue instructions in this regard by Tuesday,” said the apex court.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Finally some clarity! I remember the confusion last time when Aadhaar was being used for voter registration. Good that they've specifically mentioned it's for identity proof only, not citizenship. This distinction is important.
M
Michael C
While I appreciate the convenience, I hope the verification process is robust. Aadhaar cards can be faked too. The authorities should cross-verify properly to prevent any fraudulent registrations.
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Ananya R
This is particularly helpful for migrant workers in Bihar. Many move between states for work and Aadhaar is the one document they always carry. Should help in ensuring they can vote wherever they are working. 🇮🇳
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Suresh O
The strict warning about non-compliance is necessary. In many remote areas, officials sometimes refuse to accept certain documents out of ignorance or bias. Hope this directive is properly implemented at ground level.
K
Kavya N
Good that the court gave clear instructions and ECI acted quickly. Bihar elections are important and every eligible voter should be able to participate without documentation hassles. Democracy should be accessible to all!

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