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Politics
Opposition warns welfare exclusion as Rajiv Ranjan Singh ties voter ID to benefits
✍️ The Hindu
🗓 07 Nov 2026, 12:57 PM
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Opposition parties say the proposal to link welfare schemes with voter ID could deepen disenfranchisement after 13.5 crore names were removed in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Senior leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh has put forward a proposal that welfare benefits should be contingent on possession of a valid voter identification card. The suggestion aims to streamline the delivery of schemes by using the electoral roll as a verification tool.
Opposition parties immediately linked the move to the recent Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which reportedly removed about 13.5 crore names. They argue that coupling welfare eligibility with voter ID could effectively bar those whose names were deleted from accessing essential services.
Critics warn that the approach may deepen existing disenfranchisement, especially among migrant workers and marginalized communities who were most affected by the SIR. The debate is expected to intensify in Parliament as parties assess the legal and social ramifications of tying civic participation to welfare distribution.
Opposition parties immediately linked the move to the recent Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which reportedly removed about 13.5 crore names. They argue that coupling welfare eligibility with voter ID could effectively bar those whose names were deleted from accessing essential services.
Critics warn that the approach may deepen existing disenfranchisement, especially among migrant workers and marginalized communities who were most affected by the SIR. The debate is expected to intensify in Parliament as parties assess the legal and social ramifications of tying civic participation to welfare distribution.