NewzVille Desk
The Supreme Court heard a key case on Tuesday concerning the special intensive revision (SIR) process in Bihar, focusing on citizenship-related documentation for voter registration.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner, argued that the Election Commission (EC) was not following its own procedures and was rejecting commonly used documents like Aadhaar. He pointed out that many residents in Bihar do not possess the specific documents demanded by the EC, potentially leading to mass voter exclusion.
In response, senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, representing the EC, clarified that the current voter list is only a draft and there is sufficient room for corrections and objections. He emphasized that individuals can still apply if their names are missing.
During the proceedings, Justice Surya Kant remarked, “Bihar is part of this country. If there is a shortage of documents
there, it could be a problem nationwide.” He also observed that most people possess basic documents like Aadhaar and ration cards.
However, the Election Commission maintained that Aadhaar is not valid proof of citizenship, and that only legally verifiable documents should be accepted for voter registration.
The Supreme Court underscored that the final authority to determine document validity lies with the Election Commission itself. The case is scheduled for further hearing on Wednesday.
