Which 3 ID Cards Did the Supreme Court Say Should Be Accepted for Voter Re-Verification in Bihar?

The Supreme Court on Thursday raised serious concerns over the Election Commission’s special re-verification of voter identities in Bihar, just months before the 2025 Assembly elections. The apex court questioned the exclusion of widely accepted documents such as Aadhaar, ration cards, and the Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) for re-verification and flagged the potential risk of disenfranchising genuine voters.

A bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi said that these three IDs should be considered valid for the process. “It will be in the interest of justice if these are included,” the court noted during the hearing.

The petitioners, including Association for Democratic Reforms and TMC MP Mahua Moitra, challenged the ‘special intensive revision’, calling it arbitrary and discriminatory. The court pressed the EC to clarify under which law it is conducting this new type of revision, pointing out that the Representation of Peoples Act allows only summary or intensive revisions.

Further, the court questioned the timing of this large-scale verification, warning it could lead to exclusion of eligible voters without adequate time for appeals. “With such a big population being reviewed, is it possible to complete this in time for the election?” Justice Dhulia asked.

The EC argued Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship, hence cannot be accepted. However, the court countered that other documents like caste certificates rely on Aadhaar. The Commission insisted that any person removed from the rolls would be given a chance to respond.

Citing reports, EC counsel Dwivedi mentioned that over 1.1 crore people had died and 70 lakh migrated, justifying the need for this exercise.

The move has sparked political controversy, with Congress and RJD alleging that the re-verification targets poor and migrant voters. Senior advocate Vrinda Grover told the court, “This is not an ordinary exercise. It is designed to exclude the poor and vulnerable.”

The Supreme Court will resume the hearing on July 28, seeking detailed responses from the EC on its legal authority and procedures behind the revision exercise.

ALSO READ: Kanwar Yatra: Uttar Pradesh Police Imposes Traffic Diversions, Check Restrictions