| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | Election Commission of India (ECI) submits affidavit to Supreme Court clarifying document requirements for electoral roll eligibility. |
| Key Issue | Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards cannot be standalone documents to establish eligibility for inclusion in electoral rolls. |
| Background | Supreme Court sought ECI's response on document validity during Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Court temporarily halted finalization of draft rolls. |
| Constitutional Basis | ECI cited Article 324 of the Constitution, which grants it plenary powers to supervise elections and manage electoral rolls. Emphasized need for proof of citizenship (Article 326) for voter eligibility. |
| Document Policy | ECI clarified that EPIC, Aadhaar, and ration cards do not confirm citizenship. The list of 11 accepted documents is illustrative, not exhaustive, allowing flexibility. |
| SIR in Bihar | SIR aims to clean and update electoral rolls. As of July 18, forms received from 7.11 crore electors (90.12%), covering 94.68% of Bihar's electorate after adjusting for deaths and migration. |
| ECI's Rebuttal | ECI called petitions against SIR "premature" and based on media reports without factual evidence. Denial of registration does not imply loss of citizenship. |
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