Amid the passport row, Shashi Tharoor has proposed legal changes to simplify proof of Indian citizenship.
When contacted, Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Anindita Mitra said Suri's name was never removed from the electoral roll as his name is part of the draft electoral roll published on August 13.
The Calcutta high court has held that voter identity cards, Aadhaar and PAN cards are not conclusive proof of Indian citizenship.
A clarification by the ministry of external affairs that the passport is not a proof of citizenship has once again brought to the fore the need for a legal framework to provide citizens with a single document to establish they are Indians.
The Supreme Court of India has upheld the Election Commission's documentation framework for the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, affirming the commission's authority and stating that Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship.
Government sources have clarified that a passport has never been considered proof of citizenship in India, a stance consistent for the past 12 years and rooted in the Passport Act 1967. This clarification, reiterated by the Ministry of External Affairs, has drawn criticism from opposition leaders and public figures.
The Supreme Court has sought responses from the Centre and States regarding a plea alleging the misuse of Aadhaar cards as proof of citizenship, domicile, and residential address. The petition argues that despite legal provisions, Aadhaar is being used for purposes beyond identity verification, potentially aiding illegal immigrants, and calls for a comprehensive overhaul of electoral verification processes.
The Gauhati high court observed that merely producing a number of documents does not automatically establish citizenship unless they are legally admissible and capable of proving the person's linkage to Indian ancestors.
President Donald Trump has advocated for stricter electoral laws in the US, praising India's election system and its requirement for photo identification. He highlighted Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's questioning of the lack of voter ID in American polls and used India's high voter turnout with minimal postal ballots as an example. Trump is pushing for the SAVE America Act, which would mandate proof of citizenship and nationwide voter ID, though the bill faces division in Congress.
The high court granted the petitioner one opportunity to establish her claim to Indian citizenship.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has clarified that an Indian passport is primarily a travel document issued to regulate the departure of citizens and is not intended as proof of citizenship. This statement comes amidst a debate on its use for verifying citizenship, particularly concerning electoral rolls, and has drawn criticism from opposition parties.
After US President Donald Trump cited India's voter cards to make a case for the SAVE America Act, Election Commission officials on Tuesday said that nearly 100 crore electors have been issued 'special' Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the TMC of sheltering goons who torture women and promised citizenship to refugees in West Bengal. He highlighted the BJP's commitment to women's security by giving poll tickets to victims of violence.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has opened applications for its Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) roster, a crucial step under the newly adopted National Sports Governance Act. This initiative aims to induct retired players into the federation's General Body, ensuring greater representation and direct involvement in governance. The process outlines specific eligibility criteria across various tiers of sporting achievement and allows direct applications, bypassing state association endorsements.
The population is gripped by anxiety against arbitrariness and the cruelty of a state that sells its actions as minimum government, asserts Aakar Patel.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray criticised the BJP, accusing it of betraying Hindus by allegedly embezzling donations for the Ram temple in Ayodhya. He vowed to lead protests for "BJP-mukt Ram" and questioned the BJP's Hindutva, calling it a "Pakistan Janata Party" for its alleged party-splitting tactics and questioning citizenship. Thackeray also targeted rebel MPs, including Sanjay Deshmukh, for their defection.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has accused the BJP government of conspiring against Indian citizens by deleting names from electoral rolls and diverting attention from core issues.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered an immediate stay on the controversial Maharashtra Right to Information (RTI) rules following a backlash from transparency advocates and a hunger strike threat by veteran anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare.
Eligible and selected students will receive a stipend of 20,400 per annum, course fee and other costs.
The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission to include Aadhaar as a valid document for voter identification in Bihar's special intensive revision of electoral rolls, clarifying it is not proof of citizenship.
After being wrongly deported and labelled as Bangladeshis, migrant workers in West Bengal's Murshidabad are heading to the polls to reclaim their Indian identity and fight for their right to belong.
The EC also underlined that for electors whose enumeration forms have not returned, the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) would identify a probable cause, such as absent, shifted, dead and duplicate entry based on an inquiry from the nearby electors and would note the same.
'The final electoral roll will be published on October 7, 2026.' 'If someone who is otherwise eligible does not find his/her name in that electoral roll, they can fill Form 6 along with other necessary documents to enrol his/her name in the electoral roll after the final publication of the electoral roll also.'
A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a detailed constituency-wise disclosure of disenfranchisement caused by the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has accused the BJP government of conspiring against Indian citizens by deleting names from electoral rolls and diverting attention from core issues.
'Why are we deliberately taking apart an electoral system that has worked?' 'There is no answer to that, and there is no data and has never been any on the absurd slander that foreigners are voting here,' asserts Aakar Patel.
The Supreme Court of India resumed hearing petitions challenging the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, addressing the use of Aadhaar and concerns about voter deletions.
Thousands of West Bengal residents whose names were deleted from electoral rolls are awaiting decisions from tribunals, the final recourse after initial appeals were rejected. The fate of around 2.3 million people hinges on these adjudications, raising concerns about voting rights and citizenship.
The Supreme Court has reserved its verdict on a petition challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, following arguments from various lawyers and the Election Commission of India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the BJP's 47th Foundation Day, highlighting the Uniform Civil Code and 'One Nation, One Election' as key unfinished agendas. He also reaffirmed the party's commitment to implementing women's reservation in the 2029 elections and criticised dynastic politics.
The Election Commission has issued a notice to Trinamool Congress MP and actor Deepak Adhikari, popularly known as Dev, to appear for SIR hearing, officials said on Monday.
'If the trial is not going on, if the charges have not been framed, it is obvious that he must be given bail. But he has been denied again.'
The Supreme Court is examining the validity of the Election Commission's decision to conduct special intensive revisions of electoral rolls in several states, focusing on concerns about democratic participation and the burden on ordinary voters.
The BJP has accused the Opposition of spreading propaganda regarding the Supreme Court's stance on Aadhaar and voter enrollment in Bihar. The party asserts that the court did not state Aadhaar alone is sufficient for voter registration and that the Opposition is misrepresenting the ruling.
Over 90 former bureaucrats have expressed concern over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, alleging it could disenfranchise voters, particularly the poor and marginalized.
Sex workers in Sonagachi, Asia's largest red-light district, are pleading for relief from stringent voter ID rules that they say are impossible to meet, potentially leading to exclusion from the voters' list.
'What governments have been doing -- in civil service, journalism, business, everywhere -- is making it difficult to do the right thing.' 'Media now ask themselves: "Is it feasible for us to do this story? Will this make our life difficult?"' 'The government should make it easier for people to do the right thing and harder to do the wrong thing. Right now, it's the opposite.'
As per the new rule, foreigners who file to renew their EAD on or after October 30, 2025, will no longer receive an automatic extension, the DHS said in a news release.
The Supreme Court has warned that it will set aside the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar if any illegality is found. The court is reviewing the validity of the Bihar SIR and its potential impact on a similar exercise across India.
'The EC should not have let the initiative go into the hands of the political leadership. By allowing this to happen, they have opened a Pandora's box.'
