SC declines plea to remove Aadhaar from SIR document list, cites RP Act, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday refused to alter its September 2025 order mandating the use of Aadhaar in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process of electoral rolls.
• The SC bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, directed the petitioner to raise concerns about fraudulent Aadhaar cards with the Union government.
• The court emphasized that the Representation of the People Act (RP Act) recognizes Aadhaar as a valid identity proof.
• The petitioner, Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, claimed that fake Aadhaar cards are being manufactured on an "industrial scale," particularly in border areas.

Detailed Insights:

• The Representation of the People Act of 1950, specifically Section 23, allows individuals to furnish their Aadhaar number to the Electoral Registration Officer for identity verification.
• The court suggested that if Aadhaar is being fraudulently procured on a large scale, it requires statutory regulation, and the petitioner should appeal to the Union government to amend the RP Act.
• The Chief Justice acknowledged the seriousness of the issue but noted that the court is not the appropriate forum to address it, suggesting the government is the correct avenue.
• The court previously rejected arguments to remove Aadhaar from the list of acceptable documents for identity verification during the SIR, countering claims that Aadhaar is easily forged.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Aadhaar: A 12-digit unique identity number issued to all Indian residents.
• Representation of the People Act: An act of Parliament of India that regulates the actual conduct of elections to the Parliament of India and the State Legislative Assemblies.
• Special Intensive Revision (SIR): A process of revising electoral rolls to ensure accuracy and inclusivity.