SC to Election Commission of India: Aadhaar valid for voter ID verification, not proof of citizenship

The Supreme Court on Monday, while hearing the case of voter revision list in Bihar, ruled that the Aadhaar card can be used as a valid identity document for voter verification but cannot be treated as proof of citizenship.

The bench directed that Aadhaar be added as the 12th document in the list of acceptable identity proofs for voter registration. However, it emphasised the distinction between identity and citizenship, stating that Aadhaar only establishes a person’s identity and cannot confirm their Indian citizenship.

The court also noted that authorities handling voter registration would be free to verify the authenticity of Aadhaar cards in the same manner as they do with other documents submitted.

During the proceedings, the Election Commission of India (ECI), through its counsel, confirmed that Aadhaar would be accepted in line with existing legal provisions.