Voter ID Required for Panchayat Benefits Amid SIR Controversy
Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh announced that Aadhaar will no longer be used for government scheme payments, shifting to biometric authentication and voter ID numbers. Congress leader Pawan Khera criticized this change, stating that 13.3 crore Indians have already been removed from electoral rolls due to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The CPI(M) condemned the proposal, arguing it would further exclude rural poor from welfare schemes. They highlighted issues with biometric authentication, such as failures in capturing iris scans and worn-out fingerprints. The party also noted that some state governments are denying benefits based on electoral roll deletions, calling the SIR exercise a form of mass disenfranchisement. They demanded the withdrawal of the proposed changes, questioning the government's earlier stance on Aadhaar's necessity.
Published 4 days ago • 03 Nov 2026, 08:22 PM IST