SIR: Karnataka-endorsed residential certificate not valid under Election Commission guidelines
With door-to-door visits scheduled to start across Karnataka from June 30 as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the State government has directed Panchayat
With door-to-door visits scheduled to start across Karnataka from June 30 as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the State government has directed Panchayat Development Officers (PDOs) to issue residential certificates to those who require them as supporting documents for the exercise. However, the Election Commission’s guidelines do not accept a residential certificate. The list of 11 approved documents specifically calls for a permanent residence certificate (PRC) issued by the “competent” State authority. Moreover, while the government has directed PDOs to issue residential certificates, as they are the authorities who usually issue such certificates, a permanent residence certificate can be issued only by a tahsildar, the competent authority for the same. Logic questioned Against this backdrop, civil society groups such as ‘My Vote, My Right,’ have questioned the logic behind the government’s direction. If residential certificates issued by PDOs are to be accepted during the SIR process, the government must clearly state so and ensure that they are not rejected during enumeration or subsequent scrutiny.
If not, they argue, the government should stop directing people towards a document that does not meet the prescribed criteria and instead help genuine voters obtain documents that are actually valid under the guidelines. “The effort to help people is appreciated, but the help should be of some use,” they said. A residential certificate does not meet the PRC requirement. For many eligible voters from marginalised communities, obtaining a domicile or permanent residence certificate itself is a difficult and time-consuming process. If certificates are issued by an authority not recognised under the prescribed procedure, there is also uncertainty over whether the Election Commission will accept them, the groups said. RC and PRC Notably, a residential certificate can be obtained using documents such as Aadhaar, ration card, electricity or water bills, or a rental agreement that establish a person’s current address. A permanent residence certificate, however, requires proof of a longer connection with the State. This may include evidence of residing in Karnataka for several years, studying in the State for more than six years, parents residing in Karnataka, property ownership, or other records explaining long-term residence.
All the 11 documents listed by the EC for SIR go beyond routine voter verification and instead question a person’s link to citizenship. Documents such as a residential certificate can be obtained even on the basis of a rented house, while the SIR framework requires documents that establish citizenship, mostly based on residence prior to 2002. Citing the example of West Bengal, activist and columnist Shivasundar said that when SIR was undertaken there, many residents submitted domicile certificates issued by the State government to establish their eligibility. These were not ordinary residence certificates but permanent residence or domicile certificates. However, he said, the Election Commission initially refused to accept them, arguing that they did not meet its prescribed requirements for a permanent residence certificate. The commission also maintained that even people who had already submitted such certificates could be served with fresh notices. “The West Bengal example explains the Election Commission’s stringent approach towards residence documents,” Mr. Shivasundar said.
The BriefWire