Bombay HC 'Aadhaar, PAN, voter ID not sufficient to prove citizenship'

Bombay High Court refused bail to an alleged Bangladeshi immigrant, ruling out Aadhaar card, PAN card, or voter ID as insufficient documents to prove citizenship.

The alleged Bangladeshi immigrant was booked by the Maharashtra police last year for reportedly misleading government officials into obtaining an Aadhaar card, PAN card, voter ID, income tax records and other



documents.

The Bombay High Court said the Citizenship Act of 1955 is the primary law that governs who is recognised as an Indian citizen. “Merely possessing an Aadhaar card, PAN card, or voter ID does not, by itself, make someone a citizen of India,” the high court said, adding, “These documents are meant for identification or for availing services; they do not override the basic legal requirements of citizenship under the Act.”