Aadhaar and Voter ID Cannot Decide Date of Birth in Service Matters: MP High Court
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has clarified that Aadhaar cards and voter identity cards cannot be treated as final or conclusive proof of a person’s date of birth in service-related matters.
The Court explained that service records prepared at the time a person joins government service are usually reliable. These records are maintained throughout an employee’s career and are therefore given more importance. In contrast, documents like Aadhaar and voter ID are created much later and are based mainly on self-declared information.
Justice Jai Kumar Pillai observed that Aadhaar and voter ID cards are meant only for identification purposes. They are not primary evidence and do not have statutory value to decide age or date of birth in service disputes.
The ruling came in a case involving an Anganwadi Sahayika. A retired worker, Hirlibai, had challenged her retirement nearly two years later, claiming that her date of birth was wrongly recorded in service records. She relied on her Aadhaar and voter ID, which showed a later birth year.
The appellate authority accepted her claim and ordered her reinstatement, which led to the removal of Pramila, who had been appointed through a proper selection process. Pramila then approached the High Court.
The High Court found that the date of birth mentioned in the Aadhaar card was not supported by any solid proof and appeared to be an approximate entry. The Court also noted contradictions, including the recorded ages of Hirlibai’s family members, which made her claim unreliable.
Apart from the date of birth issue, the Court highlighted serious violations of natural justice. Pramila was neither made a party to the appeal nor given an opportunity to be heard before her services were terminated.
Setting aside the appellate order, the High Court directed Pramila’s reinstatement with full service benefits. It also ordered recovery of salary and benefits wrongly paid to the retired worker after her retirement.
