Supreme Court Orders Election Commission to Accept Madhyamik Admit Card for Voter List Verification
Supreme Court Order: In a landmark judgment concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in West Bengal, the Supreme Court has issued strict directions to the Election Commission regarding acceptable documents for age proof. Overruling the Commission’s earlier stance, the Apex Court has mandated that the Madhyamik (10th Standard) Admit Card must be accepted as a valid document for age verification during the voter list revision process.
Madhyamik Admit Card as Valid Proof
Previously, the Election Commission had excluded the Madhyamik Admit Card from the list of acceptable documents for verifying a voter’s age during the verification process. The Commission argued that a Class 10 admit card could not be authorized as a valid legal document for this purpose. However, this argument was challenged in the Supreme Court.
During the hearing, it was highlighted that in West Bengal, many birth certificates or other documents do not explicitly mention the Date of Birth, whereas the Madhyamik Admit Card clearly states it. The Bengali judges on the bench acknowledged this reality regarding local certificates. Consequently, the court ordered that the Election Commission must accept the date of birth mentioned in the admit card as valid proof during the SIR process.
Strict Orders on ‘Logical Discrepancies’
Beyond document verification, the Supreme Court has issued time-bound instructions to ensure transparency regarding the data discrepancies found in the voter database:
- Huge Data Gap: Approximately 1.36 crore entries have been identified with “logical discrepancies.”
- Publication Deadline: The Election Commission must publish this list within the next three days.
- Public Access: To ensure public awareness, these lists must be displayed at every Block Office, Panchayat Office, and Ward Office across the state.
Hearing Process and Representation Rules
Following the publication of the list, notices will be sent to the affected individuals after 10 days, summoning them for a hearing. The court has also laid down specific ground rules for these hearings regarding representation.
While the Trinamool Congress demanded that Booth Level Agents (BLA) be allowed to attend hearings, the Election Commission opposed it, citing potential political chaos. The Supreme Court adopted a middle path to balance these concerns:
- Individual Choice: Any person summoned for a hearing can bring a representative for assistance if they wish.
- Who Can Represents: This representative can be a lawyer, a family member, or a party BLA.
- Mandatory Authorization: The representative will only be allowed if the concerned individual provides a written letter of authorization or consent.
This verdict is expected to streamline the voter verification process and reduce harassment for citizens who possess valid educational documents but lack specific birth certificates.
