The Supreme Court on Thursday reiterated that Aadhaar cannot be treated as proof of citizenship, as it began final hearings in the petitions challenging the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi clarified that while Aadhaar may be used as an identity document under the SIR process, it does not establish an individual’s nationality. The Court noted that Aadhaar is issued to residents, not necessarily citizens, and therefore cannot be the basis for automatic inclusion in voter lists.
The observation came during arguments questioning the EC’s verification drive, which petitioners claim could risk excluding genuine voters by demanding excessive documentation. The Court, however, said any deletions must follow due process and proper notice.
Separately, the bench scheduled hearings for connected SIR-related challenges from states such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal.
