The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha alleged that the proposed identification arrangement, combined with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, could deprive people of both voting rights and access to government assistance. He characterised the initiative as an attempt to retain power indefinitely, an allegation the government has not accepted.
Gandhi’s intervention followed statements by Singh, also known as Lalan Singh, suggesting that voter identity numbers and biometric verification would replace Aadhaar as the basis for identifying beneficiaries and processing certain payments.
Posting a video of the minister’s remarks on X, Gandhi questioned whether the proposed change could eventually affect food rations, pensions, employment guarantees, housing assistance and scholarships. He argued that eligibility for essential public services should not depend on an individual’s presence on electoral rolls.
“This isn’t just vote theft; it’s rights theft,” Gandhi said, warning that the consequences could extend beyond elections. He alleged that names were being removed from voter lists through the SIR process and claimed that people opposed to the Bharatiya Janata Party were particularly vulnerable.
Those allegations have not been independently established. Electoral roll revision is administered by the Election Commission, and removal from a voter list does not, by itself, establish that an individual has become ineligible for welfare assistance.
Singh rejected Gandhi’s interpretation, accusing the Congress leader of distorting facts. He said the government was seeking to ensure that benefits reached legitimate recipients directly, without intermediaries exploiting the system.
Clarifying the proposal, Singh said the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana was intended to provide training and guidance to eligible panchayat representatives and people associated with local government institutions. Their identities, he explained, would be verified through Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers alongside Aadhaar-based biometric authentication.
That clarification narrowed the apparent scope of his earlier comments, which had suggested a broader replacement of Aadhaar for beneficiary payments. It also indicated that Aadhaar authentication would continue to play a role rather than disappear altogether.
At a national workshop on the People’s Plan Campaign 2026–27 on October 30, Singh had questioned the reliability of Aadhaar as the principal identification document for payments. He argued that Aadhaar enrolment facilities were widely available and claimed that cards could be obtained with little difficulty.
He said beneficiary payments would instead be processed using biometric information and voter identity numbers. His remarks did not identify every scheme potentially affected, specify an implementation date or establish that an across-the-board policy change had entered into force.
The distinction matters because the Ministry of Panchayati Raj does not directly administer many of the principal cash-transfer programmes cited in the political dispute. Separate ministries oversee schemes covering agricultural support, housing and social security, while Aadhaar-based identification remains embedded in numerous payment arrangements.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh had raised objections on Thursday, asking whether Singh’s statements represented official government policy. He warned that making electoral registration relevant to welfare eligibility could compound existing difficulties faced by people unable to complete identity verification.
Ramesh also questioned whether the SIR exercise might exclude additional beneficiaries if voter records became a prerequisite for assistance. His remarks preceded Gandhi’s intervention and reflected the opposition party’s wider criticism of electoral roll revisions.
The controversy centres on the difference between an identity document used to verify an individual and a legal entitlement to receive a benefit. An EPIC number identifies a registered elector, whereas Aadhaar is used across numerous government services, including arrangements that can cover people who are not eligible to vote.
Children and other people outside the electorate may qualify for particular welfare programmes. Consequently, any proposal to make electoral registration a universal eligibility requirement would raise questions requiring explicit government clarification. No such universal requirement has been formally demonstrated by Singh’s remarks.
The Election Commission’s SIR exercise involves checking and updating electoral rolls, a process that has generated disputes over documentation, inclusion and potential wrongful deletion. The Commission maintains responsibility for electoral registration, while eligibility rules for welfare programmes are determined under their respective legal and administrative frameworks. The minister’s clarification was issued in a video statement on Friday.
