Election Commission Clarifies: Aadhaar Card Is Proof of Identity, Not Citizenship for Voter Registration

The Election Commission has clarified that the Aadhaar card serves as a "proof of identity" only (Representational).

New Delhi:

The Election Commission has incorporated Bihar's voters' list, published after the special intensive revision, along with the Aadhaar card into the collection of indicative documents citizens must provide in the 12 states and union territories where the electoral roll cleanup initiative was declared on Monday.

Explaining the logic behind including Bihar's electoral roll published after the SIR in the document list for the second phase of the exercise, an official explained, "If a person seeking inclusion in the voters' list of one of the 12 states provides an extract from the post-SIR Bihar list containing their parents' names, they won't need to furnish additional proof of citizenship except for birth date verification."

In September, the Election Commission (EC) instructed its Bihar election machinery to accept the Aadhaar card as an additional document for establishing voter identity following Supreme Court directives.

The EC explicitly stated that the Aadhaar card should be accepted and used as a "proof of identity and not as a proof of citizenship," in accordance with Section 9 of the Aadhaar (Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act.

In its communication to the state chief electoral officer, the commission stated, "Aadhaar card shall be treated as the 12th document, in addition to the 11 documents listed."

In instructions issued to the chief electoral officers across states and UTs, the poll authority noted that electoral registration officers will issue notices to electors whose previous SIR electoral roll details provided in enumeration forms either don't match the database or are unavailable.

The elector, according to the instructions, can provide documents based on different categories.

These documents include any identity card or pension payment order issued to regular employees or pensioners of central or state governments or PSUs; any identity card, certificate or document issued in India by government/local authorities/banks/post office/LIC/PSUs prior to July 1, 1987.

Birth certificates issued by competent authorities; passports; matriculation or educational certificates issued by recognized boards or universities; permanent residence certificates issued by competent state authorities; forest right certificates; and OBC/SC/ST or caste certificates issued by competent authorities are also accepted.

Additionally, the list includes the National Register of Citizens (where available); family registers prepared by state or local authorities; government-issued land or house allotment certificates; Aadhaar; and extracts of Bihar's electoral roll SIR with reference to July 01, 2025.