SC tells Muslim woman Lift burqa for voter ID else don't vote

Supreme Court on Friday said electoral rolls with photographs cannot be opposed on the grounds that they hurt religious sentiments. "You cannot say I will still be a burqua-clad," a Bench comprising Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan and Justice Deepak Verma said while hearing a petition which contended that publishing photographs of Muslim Gosha women was opposed to their religious belief. The apex court even went on to say if having photographs on election identity cards and electoral rolls goes against religious tenets and hurts religious sentiments of a section of Muslim women, they can decide not to vote. “If they are so religious, don’t vote,” the Bench said.

Tamil Nadu’s M Ajmal Khan had appealed in the SC against the Election Commission’s mandate to carry photo identity cards for voting. Khan had also appealed against the EC’s move to publish electoral rolls with photos of Muslim women. "Suppose you want to contest election, then what about burqua?” the Bench put a poser to Khan’s counsel V Balaji, stating that during polls, posters carrying photographs of candidates are put up all over a constituency. The SC Bench, which posted the matter for final hearing after two weeks, said the photo identity card is necessary for the election purpose. "Religious sentiments cannot override statutory rule", it said adding "voting is a statutory right and if you want to vote your photograph is necessary".