SDPI Demands Inclusion of Adhaar, Voter ID and Ration Card in Bihar Electoral Roll Revision

The Social Democratic Party of India strongly condemns the Election Commission of India’s counter-affidavit filed on July 21, 2025, defending the exclusion of Aadhaar, voter ID (EPIC), and ration cards as standalone documents for the Special Intensive Revision of Bihar’s electoral rolls. SDPI National Vice President Mohammad Shafi expresses grave concern over this decision, which threatens to disenfranchise millions of legitimate voters, particularly from marginalized communities, ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections in November 2025.

The ECI’s insistence on limiting verification to 11 specified documents—such as passports, birth certificates, and matriculation certificates—ignores the socio-economic realities of Bihar. Only 2.5% of Bihar’s population holds passports, and less than 15% possess matriculation certificates, rendering these documents inaccessible to the poor, Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST), and migrant workers. Aadhaar, held by over 90% of Bihar’s 7.89 crore electors, and ration cards, critical for the underprivileged, are widely recognized government-issued IDs. Their exclusion as standalone proofs, despite the Supreme Court’s suggestion on July 10, 2025, to consider them, is arbitrary and undermines the right to vote enshrined in Article 326 of the Constitution.

The ECI’s claim that these documents are unreliable—citing Aadhaar’s issuance to some non-citizens and 5 crore fake ration cards nationwide—disregards their widespread acceptance in other government processes. The affidavit’s assertion that the 11-document list is “indicative” offers little reassurance, as Electoral Registration Officers’ discretion risks inconsistency and bias. The SIR’s 30-day enumeration timeline (June 25–July 26, 2025) is woefully inadequate for Bihar’s massive electorate, further jeopardizing vulnerable groups like Muslims, Dalits, and OBCs.

We echo the Supreme Court’s concern that determining citizenship exceeds the ECI’s mandate, which lies with the Ministry of Home Affairs. The SIR’s timing, close to the elections, raises suspicions of political motives to suppress opposition voters.