Accept Aadhaar as identity proof, SC orders poll panel, Pg1

Key Highlights:

• The Supreme Court directed the Election Commission (EC) to include Aadhaar as the 12th "indicative" document for electoral roll revisions in Bihar.
• Aadhaar will be accepted as proof of identity, but not as proof of Indian citizenship.
• The court emphasized that EC officials can verify the authenticity of Aadhaar submissions.
• The order came after complaints that BLOs were refusing Aadhaar despite prior court orders.

Detailed Insights:

• The Supreme Court had previously urged the EC to consider Aadhaar as a valid identity document on July 10 and formally directed its use on August 14.
• Approximately 65 lakh voters in Bihar were initially excluded from the draft rolls published on August 1, out of a total of 7.89 crore.
• The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) alleged that BLOs were penalised for accepting Aadhaar, leading to disciplinary actions against them.
• The EC argued that Aadhaar cannot be equated with proof of citizenship like a passport and claimed that most excluded voters had already submitted claims.
• The court clarified that Aadhaar is similar to other official documents and directed the EC to publicise the order for voters to file claims with Aadhaar, if needed.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Aadhaar: A 12-digit individual identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India.
• Electoral Roll: An official list of persons qualified to vote in an election.
• Booth Level Officer (BLO): A grassroot level election official responsible for voter registration and verification.