In Kolkata, officials from the Election Commission of India (ECI) cleared up confusion about how Aadhaar cards will be used during West Bengal’s upcoming special intensive revision (SIR) of the voter list.
The Central ECI team, led by Deputy Election Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti, met with district electoral officers from East Midnapore, Bankura and Jhargram on a two‑day inspection trip. Booth‑level officers (BLOs) had asked whether the Supreme Court’s directive to treat Aadhaar as a 12th identity document meant it should be treated as proof of address or citizenship.
Bharti explained that Aadhaar will count only as an identity card. It will not carry extra weight as proof of address or citizenship. In other words, the ECI will not give Aadhaar special status during the revision.
Following the meeting, West Bengal’s Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal reiterated the commission’s stance in a press briefing. He said voters who already appear on the 2022 list will automatically remain valid. Those who are not on the 2022 list must submit an additional citizenship proof—an Aadhaar card alone will not suffice.
Agarwal added that no valid voter name can be removed from the list, and that any person holding any other ECI‑approved document apart from Aadhaar will face no problem.
The clarification aims to smooth the revote process and reassure voters that the updated voter lists will comply with Supreme Court orders while maintaining the integrity of the electoral rolls.
Source: ianslive
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