The Election Commission of India (ECI) has recently intensified scrutiny of Bihar’s voter rolls through a Special Intensive Review (SIR). This exercise has raised serious concerns about the use of documents to determine citizenship and voter eligibility. Despite Supreme Court interventions, commonly accepted documents like Aadhaar and ration cards have been questioned. The ECI’s insistence on a new set of prescribed documents has created confusion and the risk of disenfranchisement for millions. This situation reflects a deeper issue of how Indian bureaucracy uses paperwork to control citizen-state relations.
Background of the Special Intensive Review (SIR)
For over a month, the ECI has conducted the SIR to verify voter lists in Bihar. It demands strict document verification to confirm citizenship. Eleven specific documents have been declared valid, excluding others previously accepted. Many citizens find it difficult to produce these documents. The process threatens to remove millions from voter rolls without transparency. The ECI has refused to disclose the names of those deleted, raising fears of arbitrary exclusion.
Document Hierarchy and Citizenship Verification
India’s citizenship verification relies heavily on documents. Unlike many countries where citizenship grants access to identity papers, here documents determine citizenship status. This inversion means citizens must prove their legitimacy through paperwork. The ECI’s new document hierarchy complicates this further. It undermines documents like the voter card issued by the same authority. The Supreme Court has reminded the ECI of the presumption of correctness principle, but the Commission continues its rigid approach.
Bureaucratic Culture of Distrust and Paperwork
The Indian bureaucracy’s obsession with paperwork dates back to colonial times. Known as kaghaz raj or documentary rule, it reflects deep mistrust of people and officials. Actions are only valid if backed by documents. This culture persists and shapes how the State interacts with citizens. Documents like ration cards, Aadhaar, and voter cards act as gatekeepers to services and rights. This system divides people into eligible and ineligible categories, often arbitrarily.
Political Implications and Risks of Exclusion
The paperwork obsession enables political projects that exclude certain groups. Terms like verification, authentication, and deletion are used to justify removing names from voter lists. The suspicion cast on citizens’ documents can be weaponised to target minorities or outsiders. The current SIR in Bihar echoes the National Register of Citizens (NRC) controversies. The risk of disenfranchising millions threatens democratic participation. Lack of transparency and procedural fairness fuel legal and political challenges.
Impact on Democracy and Citizen Rights
The reliance on paperwork for citizenship and voting rights risks undermining democracy. When institutions distrust their own documents and citizens, it weakens the social contract. The ECI’s approach marks how bureaucratic norms can conflict with constitutional protections. The tyranny of paper creates barriers to inclusion and justice. Safeguarding democratic freedoms requires rethinking this culture of distrust and demanding transparency and fairness in administrative processes.
Questions for UPSC:
- Critically discuss the role of documentation in the verification of citizenship in India and its impact on democratic rights.
- Examine the historical origins of the Indian bureaucracy’s ‘kaghaz raj’ and analyse its implications on contemporary governance and citizen-state relations.
- Estimate the challenges and consequences of large-scale voter roll revisions like the Special Intensive Review in Bihar on electoral integrity and social inclusion.
- Point out the legal and ethical issues involved in the use of administrative discretion in citizen verification processes and discuss safeguards to prevent disenfranchisement.
