Include Aadhar and voters’ card as identity proof, it told EC on Monday; The Apex Court, which rose early yesterday, said it would announce on July 29 (Tuesday) an early date and a proper schedule for hearing the final arguments in the case.
In a major development in the ongoing fight over the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, the Supreme Court on Monday again asked the Election Commission of India to accept Aadhaar and the Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) as identity documents. “Mass inclusion” and not “en masse exclusion” should be the outcome of the exercise, it said. The EC continued to resist, saying Aadhaar, EPIC, and ration cards could be forged easily.
The Apex Court, however, refused to halt the publication of the draft electoral rolls for poll-bound Bihar, scheduled for August 1. The two-judge bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said it would fix the schedule for the final hearing on Tuesday when “an early date and a proper schedule for hearing the final arguments in the case would be announced,” according to reports
Petitioners, including activists and political parties, are calling the revision “citizenship screening”.
Earlier also the SC had asked the EC to consider the three documents.
On Monday it again said that the Bihar voters should be allowed to submit Adhaar and voter Identity card as documents for SIR. The risk of forgery (the reason EC cited to rule out the three documents, including ration card) could happen with any of the 11 proofs allowed, it said.
Any document on the earth can be forged, Justice Surya Kant remarked. Instead of “en masse exclusion,” there should be, “en masse inclusion”. So, proceed with Aadhaar and EPIC, include these two documents in the list of 11 permitted documents, he was quoted as saying.
Justice Joymalya Bagchi said that none of the 11 “indicative” documents acceptable as proof of identity were of a conclusive nature, whether residence or caste certificates.
