Election Commission Limits Citizenship Role to Voter Registration, Not Deportation: Supreme Court Hearings

The Election Commission (EC) told the Supreme Court that its authority to determine citizenship is limited to voter registration and does not extend to deportation or visa verification. This was stated during hearings on petitions challenging the EC's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in states including Bihar. The court questioned whether voters surviving multiple roll revisions can be presumed citizens, referencing a 1995 ruling that places the burden of proof on new registrants. The EC emphasized its constitutional duty to verify citizenship solely for electoral purposes.