Latest news with #BiharSpecialIntensiveRevision


Time of India
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
ECI firm on Aadhaar, ration card exclusion ahead of Supreme Court hearing on Bihar voter revision
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is unlikely to change its position on the non-inclusion of Aadhaar and ration card before the Supreme Court for the Bihar Special Intensive Revision but is expected to tread cautiously on the issue and cite court pronouncements and government orders on the two not being proof of citizenship, ET has learnt. The ECI is also expected to inform the SC that the period for enumeration in Bihar is not too short, as is being contended, and is in keeping with past intensive revision exercises, ET has poll panel is expected to file an affidavit before the SC this week regarding the SIR in Bihar. The apex court will hear the matter on July 28. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Others Artificial Intelligence PGDM Design Thinking Public Policy MBA Healthcare Digital Marketing Data Science Management Degree Leadership Data Analytics healthcare CXO Project Management Technology Cybersecurity others MCA Finance Operations Management Data Science Product Management Skills you'll gain: Duration: 28 Weeks MICA CERT-MICA SBMPR Async India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 7 Months S P Jain Institute of Management and Research CERT-SPJIMR Exec Cert Prog in AI for Biz India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 16 Weeks Indian School of Business CERT-ISB Transforming HR with Analytics & AI India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 9 months IIM Lucknow SEPO - IIML CHRO India Starts on undefined Get Details In its July 10 hearing, the SC had asked the ECI to "consider" use of Aadhaar, ration card and voter ID card , besides its list of 11 valid documents, given their easier availability. The ECI has held that its list of 11 documents is "indicative" and "not exhaustive". by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now EPIC, Aadhaar, Ration Card On voter ID card or Electors Photo ID Card (EPIC), the poll panel's contention largely is that the EPIC number is preprinted on the new enumeration form and so is already the basis of the SIR. Therefore, enlisting the EPIC card as a separate document of proof would not serve the desired purpose. Live Events Aadhaar has been a matter of raging debate, with the ECI's several efforts in the past on making the Aadhaar-EPIC linkage mandatory hitting legal roadblocks. The current enumeration form in Bihar also allows users to voluntarily disclose the Aadhaar number, as does Form 6 for registration of new voters. At the same time, there are several court observations as well as central government orders, including by the Unique Identification Authority of India, which administers Aadhaar, that Aadhaar is not a proof of citizenship but of identity and address. The new cards also carry such a disclaimer printed on them, the poll panel is likely to point out. In the landmark Justice KS Puttaswamy Vs Union of India, 2018 case, the Supreme Court, while upholding the constitutional validity of Aadhaar, referred to Section 9 of the Aadhaar Act, 2016, which states, "The Aadhaar number or the authentication thereof shall not, by itself, confer any right of, or be proof of, citizenship or domicile in respect of an Aadhaar number holder." In May 2025, the Delhi Police also said it would not accept Aadhaar or ration card as citizenship proofs, given misuse by illegal foreign immigrants. The ration card, similarly, is mainly considered a document to facilitate the public distribution system and not a citizenship proof. The March 20, 2015 gazette notification by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said, "Ration card shall not be used as a document of identity or proof of residence". Further, on May 14, 2016, the Ministry of External Affairs informed Parliament that it had decided "not to accept ration cards as a document for identity or proof of residence for the purpose of granting passports with effect from 01.04.2016". SIR window 'too short' The one-month window for house-to-house verification and enumeration form submission in Bihar SIR - June 25 to July 25 - has caused much concern. The ECI, however, is expected to contend that even in the past, including in the 2003 intensive revision in Bihar, the enumeration exercise was conducted over a period of 30-33 days, according to people in the know. Similarly, in the 2004 intensive revision across seven north-eastern states, house-to-house enumeration was done from August 2 till September 3. On the other hand, the time for "pre revision" activity is decidedly shorter in the ongoing SIR in Bihar compared to the one-month period in 2004. The SIR instructions issued by the ECI on June 24 did not mention any pre-revision activity schedule. Officials told ET that this period could be compressed considerably now given the availability of superior technology.


News18
a day ago
- Politics
- News18
Monsoon Session To Begin On July 21: Who Decides Dates? Is It A Special Session After Op Sindoor?
The monsoon session of Parliament is set to begin on July 21. While the Opposition is expected to raise the Pahalgam terror attack, Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and repeated comments by US President Donald Trump on the ceasefire in Operation Sindoor, PM Narendra Modi government is poised to introduce a number of bills. The session will see a total of 21 sittings of both Houses till August 21.


New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Centre plans to push 8 key bills during Parliament monsoon session
NEW DELHI: Amid expectations of an Opposition uproar over several pressing issues — including intelligence failure linked to the Pahalgam terror attack, the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and repeated comments by the US President regarding the ceasefire — the Modi government is poised to introduce over eight Bills during the Monsoon Session, which commences on July 21. Opposition parties appear firm in their resolve to raise matters such as the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, the devastating Ahmedabad air crash, the SIR exercise, Operation Sindoor, and US President Trump's recurring claims of having facilitated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. However, Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently said in an interview with this newspaper that the government would not shy away from discussions on Operation Sindoor and its successes in achieving its objectives in Parliament. 'However, the Opposition may insist on a discussion on the intelligence failure on the Pahalgam terror attack also, which is unlikely to be conceded by the government, and it may cause an uproar during the session,' a senior Opposition source said on Tuesday.


Time of India
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Opposition, petitioners call SC order a big step forward
Opposition parties and petitioners have termed the Supreme Court 's order on the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise a "significant advantage," saying it puts the onus on the Election Commission (EC) to include Aadhaar, EPIC, and ration card among accepted documents for voter verification . "The Honourable Supreme Court has clearly suggested that three documents-Aadhaar, EC voter ID and ration cards-be considered by the EC in the enumeration process. These were alleged by us to have been excluded across Bihar. This is a significant advance," said senior advocate and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi , who is representing eight political parties , Mahua Moitra, and PUCL in the matter. Singhvi said all other contentions remain open and the EC has time to file its reply till the end of July. The court will hear the matter again on July 28. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo He further argued that the EC had, for the first time, reversed the presumption of eligibility for existing voters by putting all electors enrolled after 2003 in a "state of suspended animation" until they proved their status. He also pointed out that the EC was demanding birth certificates, including those of parents, as proof-something the petitioners contended was outside the EC's jurisdiction. "These and other substantive points will be considered by the court after pleadings are completed. It is an ongoing, sub judice exercise," he added. Live Events RJD MP Manoj Jha, also a petitioner, told ET that the order "has shown a path of inclusion." "Prima facie, the SC believes Aadhaar, EPIC, and ration card must be part of the accepted documents. There was widespread fear of exclusion, and the court has pointed to a way forward," he said. Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), another petitioner in the case, echoed similar sentiments. ADR founding member Jagdeep Chhokar said, "We didn't get all that we expected, but it could have been worse. The court has suggested the inclusion of Aadhaar, EPIC, and ration card. We will watch the EC's response. If these are not included, the hearing is on July 28."


Mint
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Bihar electoral roll revision: EC tells SC 'Aadhaar card not a proof of citizenship'
Bihar electoral roll revision: The Election Commission told the Supreme Cpurt on Thursday that 'Aadhaar card not a proof of citizenship'. The ECI made the comments while responding to the court's question why Aadhaar was excluded from the Bihar Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The Supreme Court was hearing on a batch of pleas challenging the Election Commission's decision to undertake a special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the poll-bound Bihar. The case was heard by a partial working day (PWD) bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi. Senior advocates Rakesh Dwivedi, KK VenuGopal and Maninder Singh representated the Election Commission. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan appeared for one of the petitioners. The bone of contention in the July 10 hearing was the provision in the EC's June 24 directive that sought a large section of people in Bihar to prove their Indian citizenship to take part in the Bihar Asembly Elections 2025. The last 'Intensive Revision' in Bihar took place in 2003. The Election Commission said the people whose names were in the voter list till 2003 do not need to submit any document, as there was a detailed revision at that time. However, other (enrolled after 2003) must provide one or more documents from a list of 11 (along with a pre-filled enumeration form for existing electors) to establish their date and/or place of birth – which, in turn, is used to determine citizenship. Those not listed in the 2003 roll will need to submit a document for their date of birth/place of birth as per their birthdate as follows: individuals born before 1st July 1987, to provide a document for themselves, those born between 1st July 1987 and 2nd December 2004, to include documents for themselves and one parent, Individuals born after 2nd December 2004, to submit documents for themselves and both parents. Electors whose parents' names were on the Electoral Roll as of 01.01.2003, need not submit any additional documents relating to their parents, PTI reported. The Supreme Court questioned the timing of the EC's electoral roll revision. The court told the poll body that it should have acted early if it wanted to check citizenship under SIR of electoral rolls in Bihar. 'Isn't it too late now for that?,' the court reportedly said. The Bench was quoted by Live Law as saying, "There is nothing wrong in you [EC] purging electoral rolls through an intensive exercise in order to see that non-citizens don't remain on the role. But if you decide only a couple of months before a proposed election..." The SUpreme Court also asked the Election Commission: 'Why are you getting into citizenship issue in special revision of electoral rolls in Bihar? It is domain of MHA [Ministry of Homes Affairs].' The Election Commission said the citizenship is required to be checked for being voter in India under Article 326 of Constitution.