EC should reconsider rule allowing ration card as Id-proof: HC

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Friday said that the Election Commission should reconsider the rule which allows use of ration card as identity proof for voters.

"The High Court observed in the course of hearing that EC should perhaps consider whether ration cards should be allowed as proof, considering the present case," advocate PM Pradhan, petitioner's lawyer in the case said.

The division bench led by justice PB Majumdar also gave the state CID four weeks for further probe in Navi Mumbai bogus ration card racket, in which a Nationalist Congress Party worker is an accused.

Petitioner Shirish Gharat, a Shiv Sena worker from Navi Mumbai, had moved the court alleging that police were not conducting proper probe in the case, despite Gharat's unearthing the racket.

He had alleged that NCP workers procured fake ration cards to facilitate bogus voting in the April polls.

In 2009 Lok Sabha polls, state election commission had allowed the use of ration cards as an identity proof at voting booth.

Later, finding the probe unsatisfactory, High Court had transferred the probe to CID.

The hearing has been adjourned for four weeks.