During a review meeting in West Bengal, the Election Commission clarified that Aadhaar will serve only as an identity proof, not citizenship or address proof, ensuring no valid voter is excluded from the rolls.

Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has addressed confusion among booth-level officers (BLOs) in West Bengal over the use of Aadhaar cards during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. During a review meeting at Kolaghat in East Midnapore, senior ECI officials made it clear that Aadhaar would serve only as an identification document — not as proof of address or citizenship.

Deputy Election Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti, leading the central team, assured officials that the commission would not give Aadhaar any special status in the verification process. The clarification follows the Supreme Court’s directive allowing Aadhaar as the 12th valid identity document for voters.

State Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal reiterated that no valid voter’s name will be removed under any circumstances. “Those who were listed in the 2022 voter rolls remain valid. However, new applicants must provide additional documents beyond Aadhaar as citizenship proof,” he explained.

The meeting also aimed to dispel concerns among BLOs about compliance and document verification ahead of the upcoming elections. According to officials, anyone possessing Aadhaar along with at least one more approved document will face no difficulty in retaining their voting rights.

Analyst’s View: The clarification provides much-needed relief to voters worried about potential exclusions. With political tensions rising before polls, ensuring transparency and voter confidence in the revision process is crucial. Citizens are advised to cross-check their names in the electoral rolls and update any missing details well before the deadline.