SC Orders Aadhaar to Be Accepted for Voter List in Bihar
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In a setback for the Election Commission, the Supreme Court directs Aadhaar to be treated as the 12th valid ID for Bihar’s voter revision exercise, with opposition leaders hailing it as a victory for democracy.
By TRH News Desk
NEW DELHI, September 8, 2025 — The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to accept Aadhaar as a valid proof of identity for voter registration in Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, calling it the “12th document” that must be recognized by poll officials.
The Court clarified that while Aadhaar would help establish identity, it does not serve as proof of citizenship. The directive came after weeks of legal wrangling, where the ECI had resisted incorporating Aadhaar in the ongoing voter list revision.
The Election Commission, in its submission, assured the Court that Aadhaar would be considered for inclusion and exclusion of voters. The Court further asked the ECI to issue clear instructions to its officials to avoid any confusion on the ground.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accused the Commission of “brazen non-compliance” with the Court’s repeated directives. “For the third time, the Supreme Court has reiterated Aadhaar’s validity. The ECI has deliberately created obstacles to inconvenience legitimate voters,” he said, adding that the Commission was acting “at the behest of G2.”
Opposition leaders hailed the verdict as a turning point. Political activist Yogendra Yadav said the order “safeguarded the voting rights of millions” and prevented a “conspiracy of vote suppression.” Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose called it a “big win for democracy,” accusing the ECI of functioning like a “branch office” of the ruling BJP.
Legal platform Live Law noted that the Court’s decision brought much-needed clarity to the revision exercise, which had drawn sharp criticism for allegedly disenfranchising voters ahead of Bihar’s 2025 polls.
With the verdict, Aadhaar now joins 11 other officially recognized documents for voter identification, marking a significant intervention by the judiciary in an election-bound state.
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