New Delhi, Nov. 27 -- In a significant hearing on the constitutional validity of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Supreme Court today asked, "Should individuals who may have entered India illegally but possess Aadhaar cards for welfare benefits also be entitled to vote?"Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, heading a Bench with Justice Joymalya Bagchi, made the remarks while hearing petitions filed by various states challenging the SIR process. The observation came after Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for West Bengal and Kerala, argued that voters were being excluded despite holding Aadhaar cards.
The CJI clarified that Aadhaar's purpose is limited to availing benefits under the statute that created i...