Election Commission Clarifies Aadhaar Use: Identity Only, Not Citizenship in Voter Lists
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The Election Commission of India has reaffirmed its stance on the use of Aadhaar cards as proof of identity, not citizenship, for updating voter lists. In a recent reply to the Supreme Court, the poll panel stated that it had already issued instructions to Chief Electoral Officers to use Aadhaar cards solely for establishing identity, as per Section 23(4) of the Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1950. This clarification comes in response to an interlocutory application filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, who sought to ensure that Aadhaar cards are used only for identity verification. The Election Commission cited a Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) office memorandum from August 2023, which stated that Aadhaar cards are not proof of citizenship, residence, or date of birth. The Supreme Court had previously clarified the usage of Aadhaar cards for voter list updates in its order dated September 8, 2025. The court had observed that Aadhaar cards are not proof of citizenship or domicile. The Election Commission's stance aligns with this ruling and aims to prevent potential misuse of Aadhaar cards as proof of citizenship.
