SC recognizes Aadhaar as 12th document for voter identification in Bihar; But not citizenship

The Supreme Court also said that election officials can check the authenticity of Aadhaar. The Election Commission will have to make the information of this order public on its website.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has given a big decision to recognize Aadhaar card as the 12th document in the election process in Bihar. While hearing the petitions against the decision of the Election Commission on Monday, the court clarified that Aadhaar will be accepted for identification, but it will not be considered proof of citizenship.

Election officials Right To Check Authenticity Of Aadhaar

The Supreme Court also said that election officials can check the authenticity of Aadhaar. The Election Commission will have to make the information of this order public on its website. Election Commission lawyer Rakesh Dwivedi said that Aadhaar can be used for identification, but it is not proof of citizenship.

Arguments Of Various Parties

Former lawyer Kapil Sibal insisted that Aadhaar should be accepted as the 12th document. Justice Kant asked what is the problem if it is considered a document. On the other hand, the Election Commission lawyer said that Aadhaar cannot be considered proof of citizenship like a passport.

The Supreme Court ruled that Aadhar is valid for voter ID in Bihar's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) but clarified it’s not proof of citizenship. Only genuine citizens allowed to vote. #SupremeCourt #Aadhar #VoterID pic.twitter.com/RAy1FyEblM

— Dynamite News (@DynamiteNews_) September 8, 2025

Dispute Over Aadhaar And Other Documents

The Supreme Court said that if the Aadhaar card is presented and there is doubt, then investigation can be done. The court also told that according to the law, Aadhaar is an official document and it will be accepted for identification. At the same time, the lawyers also raised that this is often the only identity card for the poor.

BLO Cannot Determine Citizenship

Sibal clarified that BLO (Basic Logging Officer) cannot decide citizenship. He said that the purpose of accepting Aadhaar is only to establish identity, not to prove citizenship. The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission to accept Aadhaar as an identity document, but other documents will be required for citizenship.

The Supreme Court reiterated that the Aadhaar card is not a proof of citizenship, but is a valid document similar to an identity card. The Election Commission has to ensure that Aadhaar is checked and accepted only after verification.