Listing the matter for next Monday, a two-judge bench of the court which included Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said the poll body can examine the genuineness of Aadhaar cards that have been submitted to ensure that they are not forged. It also clarified that no one wants the poll body to include illegal immigrants in the electoral roll.
"Aadhaar card shall be accepted... for purpose of acceptance of inclusion or exclusion in revised list... Aadhaar card shall be treated as 12th document," the court said, as reported by Bar and Bench. "However, it is clarified that the authorities shall be entitled to verify the authenticity and genuineness of the Aadhaar card itself and Aadhaar will not be proof of citizenship...ECI shall issue instructions during the course of the day."
Supreme Court seeks EC's explanation
During the hearing, the apex court also sought an explanation from the ECI over the show-cause notices it issued to officials for not accepting Aadhaar cards from voters. Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, who was representing the ECI, said the poll body has not prevented anyone from filing Aadhaar.
"We will find out if someone is errant somewhere," he told the court.
Earlier, the poll body had informed the Supreme Court that claims, objections and corrections in the draft electoral roll can be filed beyond September 1 but these would be considered once the electoral roll is finalised. It had said that claims and objections in the draft roll can be filed till the last date of nomination forms in each assembly constituency.
The Election Commission had also submitted that post the top court's August 22 order, till August 30, only 22,723 claims had been filed for inclusion and 1,34,738 objections had been filed for exclusion. According to the June 24 schedule of the poll panel for the Bihar SIR, the deadline for filing claims and objections to the draft roll ended on September 1, and the final electoral roll will be published on September 30.
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