The Election Commission of India has issued a detailed clarification before the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision across 12 states and union territories. The Commission underlined that Aadhaar serves only as proof of identity and cannot be treated as proof of citizenship during the electoral roll verification process.
The ECI stressed that voting rights in India are strictly tied to citizenship. Because of this, Aadhaar cannot be used to decide whether a person is eligible to be added to or removed from the voter list. It is only one of several documents that can help verify a voter’s identity during the revision exercise.
The Commission also noted that the Supreme Court has consistently held the same view. The Court has stated that Aadhaar does not establish citizenship, even though the ECI has full authority to include eligible citizens and exclude non-citizens from electoral rolls.
With Phase II of the Special Intensive Revision underway, the clarification aims to remove any confusion about whether Aadhaar can be used to determine voting eligibility. The ECI’s message is clear: Aadhaar helps confirm who you are, not whether you are a citizen entitled to vote.
