Aadhaar Card is Not Proof of Citizenship or Date of Birth! Election Commission Makes Big Announcement Today

Aadhaar Citizenship: The Election Commission of India has clarified several important points regarding voter lists and the use of the Aadhaar card. According to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, while the Aadhaar card can be used as proof of identity, it is not proof of citizenship or place of birth. Alongside this announcement, new information has been provided about the Voter ID card (EPIC) and the process for revising voter lists.

The Chief Election Commissioner stated that the process of issuing new EPIC cards has already begun in Bihar for voters whose details, such as name, address, or polling station, have changed. This model will be replicated across the entire country to ensure that voter information remains up-to-date.

Voter List Matching and Linking Process

The Election Commission has provided an opportunity for voters to view old lists. The general public or Booth Level Officers (BLOs) can now visit the website voters.ci.gov.in to see the voter lists from 2002, 2003, and 2004.

The process is very simple:

• First, you need to select the state and then the district.
• After that, search for the specific name and click the link button.
• For example, if your parents were residents of Lucknow, UP, and you live in Delhi, you would need to select the state of Uttar Pradesh, then the district of Lucknow, search for their names, and link them.

According to the Commission, the IT department has made this process extremely user-friendly so that ordinary people can use it without any difficulty.

Legal Status of the Aadhaar Card

The Commission has stated that the Supreme Court’s guidelines regarding the use of the Aadhaar card are being strictly followed. According to the Aadhaar Act, its use is limited to specific areas.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar clarified the following:

• Not Proof of Citizenship: As per Section 9 of the Aadhaar Act, the Aadhaar card is by no means proof of citizenship or domicile.
• Not Proof of Date of Birth: Based on several Supreme Court orders, the Aadhaar card cannot be considered proof of date of birth either.
• Only Proof of Identity: The Aadhaar card serves only as a Proof of Identity and can be used for e-signing.

Even today, if you download a new Aadhaar card from the UIDAI website, it explicitly states that it is not proof of citizenship, domicile, or date of birth.

Dismissing any notion of a gridlock concerning West Bengal, the Commission assured that all constitutional bodies are fulfilling their respective duties as per the constitution. The experience gained from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) conducted in Bihar will be utilized to provide better facilities to voters across the country.