New Delhi, August 22 — The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to allow voters in Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to submit any one of 11 alternative documents apart from Aadhaar for verification purposes. The move comes amid concerns raised over mandatory Aadhaar linkage, which many argued could disenfranchise eligible voters lacking the card.

A bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna clarified that Aadhaar cannot be made compulsory for inclusion in the electoral rolls and instructed the ECI to accept other valid identity proofs already notified under existing rules. These include voter ID, passport, driving licence, ration card, PAN card, and government-issued service cards, among others.

The court’s direction follows petitions challenging the Election Commission’s earlier push to make Aadhaar linkage mandatory during the revision exercise in Bihar. Petitioners contended that such a requirement violated the rights of citizens who either did not possess Aadhaar or faced errors in their records.

The Election Commission, while defending the move, said Aadhaar helps eliminate duplication and bogus entries. However, the court underlined that legal provisions allow Aadhaar only as an optional document, not an exclusive one.

Political observers say the order is significant ahead of upcoming elections, as it ensures wider access for voters and addresses concerns of exclusion. The Commission has been directed to issue necessary instructions to its officials in Bihar immediately.