Bihar SIR: SC Allows Aadhaar Card as Proof for Voter List Inclusion

The Supreme Court has issued a directive allowing individuals in Bihar who were excluded from the draft electoral roll during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) to use their Aadhaar cards as proof to challenge their exclusion. The court’s aim is to ensure that no eligible voters are omitted from the electoral process. The Bench, consisting of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, clarified that objections can be submitted with ‘Any of the 11 documents listed in Form 6 by the Election Commission of India (ECI) or their Aadhaar card.’ This confirms the acceptance of Aadhaar for voter list inclusion. The court was addressing a series of petitions contesting the Election Commission of India’s June 24 directive to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in anticipation of the forthcoming Bihar assembly elections. In addition, the court authorized online submission of objections without physical documentation and stipulated that booth-level officers must furnish acknowledgment receipts for any objections submitted physically.