Now Reading: EC bars Family Register Certificate as ID in Telangana SIR
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EC bars Family Register Certificate as ID in Telangana SIR
The Election Commission (EC) has clarified that the Family Register Certificate (FRC) introduced by the Telangana government cannot be used as identity proof during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral…
The Story in Brief
The Election Commission (EC) has clarified that the Family Register Certificate (FRC) introduced by the Telangana government cannot be used as identity proof during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao welcomed the move, alleging that the Congress was trying to include 'illegal aliens' in the rolls.
The state government's advisor on minority affairs, Mohammed Ali Shabbir, said the government will seek legal opinion on the EC's stance. He argued that equating FRC with a ration card requires careful examination, as ration cards are government-issued and used for food security programmes. The government aims to ensure genuine voters, especially the poor, face no hardship during the SIR.
The Indian Opinion
Both sides are playing politics with a routine verification process. The BJP cries 'illegal aliens' without proof, while the Congress government insists its own database should be trusted. The EC, as the constitutional authority, is right to set its own verification rules. The real test will be whether the legal opinion upholds the EC's decision or finds a statutory loophole. If the government truly cares about poor voters, it can help them get existing valid IDs rather than pushing a new certificate that the EC has rejected.
Sources (2): deccanchronicle.com, thefederal.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
