Supreme Court Clarifies Aadhaar Not Proof of Citizenship

The Supreme Court has categorically ruled that Aadhaar cannot be used to claim citizenship, reiterating that the document serves only as proof of identity. The observation came during hearings related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, where verification of nearly 50 lakh voters is underway. The court also outlined measures to expedite scrutiny of voter documents before publication of the revised electoral lists.

Judicial Officers Assigned for Voter Verification

A bench led by the Chief Justice of India directed that experienced judicial officers be deployed to verify voter claims. The Calcutta High Court Chief Justice informed the apex court that 294 serving and retired district judges and additional district judges had been assigned the task. However, given the scale of scrutiny, the court permitted drafting judicial officers with at least three years of experience for SIR work.

If required, additional judicial officers may be requisitioned from neighbouring Jharkhand and Odisha to ensure timely completion. The Election Commission has been directed to bear expenses related to lodging and honorarium of officers deputed from other states.

Final and Supplementary Voter Lists

The court stated that the final voter list will be published on February 28, comprising names of verified voters. As scrutiny of all 50 lakh documents will take additional time, supplementary voter lists will be issued subsequently. Invoking its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, the court clarified that supplementary lists will be deemed part of the final electoral roll.

Only those voters who submitted documents by February 14 will have their claims examined by judicial officers. The court also approved 11 documents notified by the Election Commission, along with Class X admit cards and mark sheets, as valid for inclusion in the voter list.

Aadhaar Limited to Identification Purpose

The bench firmly stated that Aadhaar cannot be treated as proof of citizenship. It emphasised that Aadhaar is solely an identification document. Concerns were raised regarding alleged misuse of Aadhaar by illegal migrants. The court observed that such issues may require deeper investigation but declined to issue directions at this stage.

Important Facts for Exams

• Article 142 empowers the Supreme Court to pass orders for complete justice.
• Aadhaar is governed by the Aadhaar Act, 2016, and serves as proof of identity, not citizenship.
• The Election Commission of India conducts periodic revision of electoral rolls.
• Supplementary electoral rolls are legally integrated with final published lists.

Broader Implications for Electoral Integrity

The ruling reinforces the distinction between identity and citizenship documentation in India’s legal framework. It also highlights judicial oversight in large-scale electoral verification exercises. By ensuring structured scrutiny and timely publication of electoral rolls, the court has sought to balance administrative efficiency with procedural fairness in the democratic process.