NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court once again asked the Election Commission to consider the Aadhaar card and the electoral photo identity card as admissible documents to prove the identity of voters during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral polls, which is under way in Bihar.
The Election Commission launched the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar on June 24. According to the ECI, there are 11 documents that a person needed for voter roll update and they are: Any identity card/Pension Payment Order issued to a regular employee/pensioner, any identity card/certificate/document issued in India prior to July 1, 1987, birth certificate, passport, matriculation/educational certificate, permanent residence certificate, OBC/SC/ST or any caste certificate, national register of citizens, family Register, any land/house allotment certificate by the government.
The bench indicated its preliminary agreement with the Supreme Court's order, noting the Election Commission's acknowledgment in its counter affidavit regarding the acceptance of Aadhaar, voter cards and ration cards, PTI reported.
The court observed that whilst ration cards might be susceptible to forgery, Aadhaar and voter cards possessed inherent authenticity and should continue to be accepted as valid documentation.
A division bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi announced that the final hearing schedule would be determined on July 29.
The NGO's representative, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, requested a temporary halt on finalising electoral rolls and publishing draft rolls.
The court noted that since petitioners had not previously sought interim relief, it could not be granted now. The matter would be conclusively interpreted at the hearing.
According to the EC, the SIR saw over 7.24 crore of Bihar’s 7.89 crore electors participate, a turnout rate of nearly 92%. However, multiple affidavits and field reports challenge this figure, suggesting enumeration forms were uploaded en masse by BLOs without voter consent. ADR and other petitioners claimed that even dead people were shown to have submitted forms, raising concerns of systemic fraud to meet internal targets.
The EC has said that no name will be deleted without a “speaking order” and due notice. The draft rolls will be published on August 1, and electors or parties can file claims or objections till September 1. Appeals can be made to the District Magistrate or CEO if needed.
The Election Commission launched the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar on June 24. According to the ECI, there are 11 documents that a person needed for voter roll update and they are: Any identity card/Pension Payment Order issued to a regular employee/pensioner, any identity card/certificate/document issued in India prior to July 1, 1987, birth certificate, passport, matriculation/educational certificate, permanent residence certificate, OBC/SC/ST or any caste certificate, national register of citizens, family Register, any land/house allotment certificate by the government.
The bench indicated its preliminary agreement with the Supreme Court's order, noting the Election Commission's acknowledgment in its counter affidavit regarding the acceptance of Aadhaar, voter cards and ration cards, PTI reported.
The court observed that whilst ration cards might be susceptible to forgery, Aadhaar and voter cards possessed inherent authenticity and should continue to be accepted as valid documentation.
A division bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi announced that the final hearing schedule would be determined on July 29.
The NGO's representative, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, requested a temporary halt on finalising electoral rolls and publishing draft rolls.
The court noted that since petitioners had not previously sought interim relief, it could not be granted now. The matter would be conclusively interpreted at the hearing.
According to the EC, the SIR saw over 7.24 crore of Bihar’s 7.89 crore electors participate, a turnout rate of nearly 92%. However, multiple affidavits and field reports challenge this figure, suggesting enumeration forms were uploaded en masse by BLOs without voter consent. ADR and other petitioners claimed that even dead people were shown to have submitted forms, raising concerns of systemic fraud to meet internal targets.
The EC has said that no name will be deleted without a “speaking order” and due notice. The draft rolls will be published on August 1, and electors or parties can file claims or objections till September 1. Appeals can be made to the District Magistrate or CEO if needed.
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