ECI Says Ration Card, New Family Register Certificate Not Proof Of Citizenship

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday clarified that a ration card is not conclusive proof of citizenship and cannot be accepted for electoral roll verification in Hyderabad and across Telangana. In a communication addressed to the Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana, the commission stated that ration cards cannot be used as designated documents during the verification process under SIR.

ECI Secretary Navin Kumar communicated that the Family Register Certificate issued by the Telangana state government under GO Ms. No. 172, dated July 25, 2026, is treated as equivalent to a ration card. As a result, this newly introduced certificate will also not be accepted as a designated document for verification under SIR.

Explaining the decision, the ECI highlighted that unlike official documents such as a passport or a birth certificate, a ration card does not serve as conclusive proof of citizenship. The commission noted that the choice of proposed documents for verifying electoral rolls and setting their evidentiary standards falls within its discretionary domain, which may not be substituted, subject to reasonableness.

The commission also specified guidelines regarding older documentation issued by the state government. While new Family Register Certificates issued under GO Ms. No. 172 are excluded, Family Member Certificates issued prior to July 25, 2026, under the previous regime governed by the memo dated June 25, 2013, will continue to be accepted during the verification process under SIR.