SC Allows Draft Electoral Roll in Bihar, Upholds Aadhaar and Voter ID as Valid ID Proofs

New Delhi

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to stay the publication of draft electoral rolls in Bihar, paving the way for the Election Commission of India (ECI) to proceed with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi directed the ECI to continue accepting Aadhaar and voter ID cards as valid proof of identity during the revision, stating these documents possess “some sanctity.” The court observed, “As far as ration cards are concerned, we can say they can be forged easily, but Aadhaar and voter cards have some sanctity and have a presumption of genuineness. You continue accepting these documents.”

The court, however, refrained from granting the petitioners' plea to halt finalisation of the electoral rolls. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing the petitioners, argued for interim relief, but the bench noted that no such request was made during the previous hearing, hence it could not be entertained at this stage.

The court said it would take a final decision after hearing all parties in the case on Tuesday. It also noted that any concerns about document forgery could be addressed by the ECI on a case-by-case basis.

Earlier, on July 10, the Supreme Court had directed the ECI to consider Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards for identity verification during the SIR. However, it also clarified that these documents alone do not guarantee inclusion in the electoral roll.

The ruling provides temporary relief to the ECI, which is under scrutiny from political parties and civil rights groups over the transparency of the voter roll revision process in Bihar.