New Delhi, Nov. 4: The Centre is considering using voter ID cards to identify beneficiaries of government welfare schemes instead of Aadhaar. The move has raised concerns amid ongoing protests over voter list revisions across the country.
Union Minister Lalan Singh announced that voter ID cards would serve as the standard for accessing benefits under Panchayati Raj schemes. Beneficiaries would have to submit their Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers along with biometric details.
He made the announcement at a national level workshop on Jan Yojana Abhiyan. He also said Aadhaar would no longer serve as the standard for beneficiary payments under the proposed system.
Singh argued that Aadhaar cards could be obtained easily and said voter ID numbers and biometric details would help identify genuine beneficiaries. However, he did not specify which schemes would adopt the system.
Voter ID Linkage Raises Concerns Over List Revisions
The announcement comes amid concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Opposition parties, activists and civil society groups fear that the exercise could remove the names of genuine voters.
According to the source, around 13 crore voter names have reportedly been deleted in areas where the revision was implemented.
The Supreme Court upheld the legality of electoral roll revisions in May. However, it clarified that the Election Commission cannot determine a person’s Indian citizenship through the process.
Concerns have also emerged over welfare benefits in BJP ruled states. The source claims that some states have announced measures affecting beneficiaries whose names were removed from voter lists.
In West Bengal, the BJP government led by Suvendu Adhikari has reportedly begun matching ration card details with revised voter lists. It has also decided to review the eligibility of women receiving cash assistance.
Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Chowdhury reportedly announced that people removed from voter lists would not receive ration and other welfare benefits.
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