look news india
The Supreme Court has given a very important clarification amidst the ongoing legal turmoil regarding the revision of voter list (Special Integrated Revision – SIR) in West Bengal. The apex court has made it clear that removal of a person’s name from the voter list does not mean that his Indian citizenship has been terminated. This comment is going to put an end to all the apprehensions that had arisen in recent times regarding citizenship and voting rights.
What is the stand of the Supreme Court?
The Supreme Court stressed during the hearing that voter list and citizenship are two different legal subjects. The purpose of the electoral roll is only to streamline the electoral process and deletion of names due to administrative reasons or mistakes can only be a procedural lapse. This cannot be considered as a direct attack on someone’s citizenship or a means of declaring him stateless. The court made it clear that citizenship is determined under the provisions of the Constitution and the Citizenship Act and not on the basis of Voter ID card alone.
Why was there an uproar over SIR in Bengal?
During the ongoing Special Integrated Revision (SIR) in West Bengal, many political parties had alleged that the names of some communities were being deliberately removed from the list, due to which their citizenship was in danger. Due to these claims, political activity had intensified in the state. The message from this latest comment of the court is clear that it is wrong to present the errors occurring in the administrative process as a ‘citizenship issue’. The court has directed the Election Commission to ensure that the process is transparent and the name of any eligible voter is not removed without proper reason.
Important information for voters
This comment of the court has brought great relief to lakhs of voters who are often scared of not finding their names in the voter list. Experts say that if someone’s name is removed from the list by mistake, then the complete legal process is available to him to apply again. Voter verification can be done through the Election Commission portal or through your local Booth Level Officer (BLO). It has become clear that apart from voter card, birth certificate, Aadhaar card or other statutory documents are also valid to prove citizenship.
Legal transparency and electoral democracy
This comment of the Supreme Court is a big step towards maintaining the integrity of India’s electoral democracy. This will not only stop the ongoing misleading claims regarding the electoral process, but will also ensure administrative accountability. Now more caution will be exercised in any ‘name removal’ process in future so that there is no doubt in the minds of voters before the elections. The court has made it clear that the right to citizenship is paramount in a democracy and it should not be linked with the flaws in the electoral lists.