Handbook for Electoral Registration Officers - Election Commission ...

seeking to have his name enrolled is not disqualified, among others, by reason of his notbeing a citizen of India. Therefore, the ERO would be justified in requiring the personconcerned to show evidence that he is a citizen of India. Some of the documents thatcould prove the citizenship are following:• National Register of Citizens (NRC) would be used/referred to wherever itexists.• Citizenship certificate issued by competent authority.• A valid passport issued by the Government of India.• Birth Certificate. (Care should be taken to ensure that the certificateproduced is genuine).The above mentioned documents are illustrative but not exhaustive.51. A certificate issued by village headman, Panchayat President, etc., to the effectthat a person is a citizen of India is not by itself reliable documentary evidence asconclusive proof of citizenship. It should be noted that the certificates issued by StateGovernment authorities as regards permanent residence in the State are not themselvesnecessarily conclusive proof of citizenship. Any other document having a bearing on thequestion of citizenship should also be entertained and evaluated.52. In the case of married women who change their residence as a result of marriageand who cannot produce documentary evidence as a proof of citizenship eligible forregistration as voters, the following documents may also be accepted by the ERO:-• Proof of being registered as voter as an unmarried girl, if her name wasregistered;• Proof of marriage, wherever possible;• Certificates issued by the headmen of both the villages, i.e., the village towhich the woman belonged before marriage and the village to which shehas moved after her marriage, countersigned by a village levelGovernment Official;• Where there is no village headman in existence, the certificate to theabove effect issued by the Secretary, Gram Panchayat or an officerequivalent to village headman in terms of his powers and functions, andcountersigned by village level Government Official.53. Especially in the case of persons producing citizenship certificates, thegenuineness and authenticity of each such certificate should be duly verified. Whereverthere is any doubt, those cases should be referred to the authorities that issued thosecertificates. This is necessary as there is reason to suspect that some of these certificatesare bogus or issued without due care.54. In the case of persons who claim to be migrants from other parts of India, theirstatements should not be taken at face value. They will be required by the ERO to adducesuch evidence as may satisfy him in regard to the claim of migration from another placeof India. In appropriate cases, the ERO shall crosscheck the position with the DEO of theDistrict from where the claimants to have migrated.55. In case of an objection filed in Form 7 seeking the deletion of name from theelectoral roll on the ground that the person objected to is not a citizen of India, the onusof proof shall initially lie on the objector. It shall be ensured that such onus is fully48