The Supreme Court started hearing to petitions against the EC special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in ballot Bihar. Justice Surya Kant claims that Aadhaar cannot be regarded as proof of citizenship. The Supreme Court found that the inclusion and exclusion of citizens and non-residents from the electoral rolls falls in the remit of the EC.
Supreme Court said, Aadhar is Not Proof of Citizenship
“Are petitioners saying that Aadhaar card is proof of citizenship? He said, “See, the Election Commission is accurate in pronouncing that Aadhaar cannot used as proof of citizenship. It needs to be verified. See phase 9 of the Aadhaar Act.” The apex court not trust the submission that the people in Bihar not have the bulk of files sought by ECI as proof in SIR. “This is a case of believe deficiency this is all,” Justice Kant said during the hearing.
SC Questions Authority Amid Fears of Large-Scale Voter Exclusion
The Supreme Court said that main problem need to settled whether the Election Commission had the authority to conduct the verification practice. “If they do not have the power, the much ends. But if they have the power, there cannot be a problem,” Justice Kant said.
Appearing for Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha, senior counsel Kapil Sibal contended that the EC’s procedure result in big-scale voter exclusion. It affect those unable to post the required paperwork.
He claimed that even voters listed in the 2003 rolls asked to record fresh bureaucracy, with non-submission leading to deletion of names, regardless of their previous dealings.
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