Birth Certificate Now Mandatory for Indian Citizenship Proof, UIDAI Confirms Aadhaar, Voter ID Invalid

New Delhi, July 14, 2025: In a definitive move reshaping identity verification in India, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and the Election Commission of India (ECI) have emphatically clarified that neither Aadhaar cards nor Voter ID cards constitute proof of Indian citizenship. This crucial stance, reinforced during a Supreme Court hearing on July 10, 2025, coincides with the government mandating the birth certificate as the primary document for establishing citizenship and date of birth for critical services.

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The Supreme Court hearing, focused on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, became the platform for this significant clarification. Representing the Election Commission, Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi explicitly stated, “Aadhaar Card cannot be used as proof of citizenship,” emphasizing its role is solely identity verification. UIDAI’s longstanding position, backed by Section 9 of the Aadhaar Act, 2016, confirms Aadhaar “does not confer any right of citizenship or domicile.”

Birth Certificate Takes Center Stage

This clarification arrives alongside stringent new government requirements elevating the birth certificate’s importance:

1. New Passport Rules (2025): Individuals born on or after October 1, 2023, must now submit a birth certificate as the sole proof of date of birth for passport applications.
2. Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023: This law mandates birth certificates for individuals born after its implementation for essential services, including:
   • Admission to educational institutions
   • Preparation of voter lists
   • Issuance of driving licenses
   • Government job appointments
   • Aadhaar number generation

What Counts as Citizenship Proof? What Doesn’t?

The government has outlined clear distinctions:

• Valid Citizenship Proofs:
  • Birth Certificate (Issued under Registration of Births & Deaths Act, 1969)
  • Valid Indian Passport
  • Domicile Certificate (State-issued)
• NOT Valid Citizenship Proofs:
  • Aadhaar Card (Proves identity/residence only)
  • Voter ID Card
  • PAN Card
  • Ration Card

Bihar Revision Sets National Precedent

The ongoing SIR in Bihar exemplifies this stricter approach. The ECI has excluded Aadhaar, PAN cards, and driving licenses from its list of acceptable citizenship documents for new enrolments. Instead, it demands proof like birth certificates, passports, or domicile certificates. Officials reported identifying “a large number” of individuals from Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar possessing Indian documents like Aadhaar and ration cards, highlighting verification gaps.

Nationwide Rollout Planned

The Election Commission plans to expand this intensive revision model nationwide, targeting all states with January 1, 2026, as the qualifying date. The goal is to cleanse electoral rolls of illegal foreign nationals by rigorously verifying place of birth and citizenship documentation.

Concerns and Implications

While aimed at strengthening national security and electoral integrity, these measures raise significant concerns:

• Risk of Disenfranchisement: The Supreme Court has warned that stringent documentation requirements could disproportionately disenfranchise legitimate voters, particularly migrant workers, seasonal labourers, and marginalized communities who may struggle to obtain or retain the mandated documents like birth certificates.
• Impact on Vulnerable Groups: Critics argue the rules place an undue burden on those with limited access to administrative services or facing frequent relocation.
• Stealth NRC Fears: Opposition and civil rights groups express concern that the process resembles a “stealth implementation” of a National Register of Citizens (NRC), shifting an administrative exercise into a citizenship test.

Indian Government Tightens Verification

In response to misuse, UIDAI announced plans to tighten adult Aadhaar enrollment through enhanced verification using government databases (passports, ration cards) and cross-checking with records like driving licenses, PAN cards, and utility bills.

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The Supreme Court, while allowing the Bihar revision to proceed, advised the ECI to consider Aadhaar, Voter ID, and ration cards as supporting documents but emphasized this isn’t a binding direction. It also reiterated that existing voters cannot be forced to reprove citizenship.

The elevation of the birth certificate as the cornerstone of citizenship proof, coupled with the explicit exclusion of Aadhaar and Voter ID for this purpose, marks a pivotal shift in India’s identity and citizenship framework. Balancing enhanced security with protecting citizens’ rights, especially the vulnerable, remains the critical challenge as these policies roll out nationwide.