Citizenship

The Election Commission of India has told the Supreme Court that its Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls is a constitutional duty rooted in citizenship. As petitions compare the exercise to the NRC, the ECI says the two are not the same. Here is what the court heard and why it matters for India’s electoral system.

In a landmark electoral law development, the Supreme Court has ruled that Aadhaar cards are valid for identity verification during Bihar's voter list revision. The bench clarified that while Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship, it qualifies as a standalone identity document under Section 23(4) of the R.P. Act. This ruling aims to enhance electoral participation, particularly for marginalized communities who often face hurdles with documentation.

The Supreme Court has firmly ruled that Aadhaar is an identity document, not proof of Indian citizenship. Delivered on September 1, 2025, this decision arose during Bihar’s voter roll revisions, where political parties had pressed for Aadhaar’s use to curb exclusion. By citing the Aadhaar Act and Puttaswamy judgment, the Court clarified that democracy rests on citizenship, not biometric identity, reshaping debates on electoral inclusion.