The Hindu

Watch: The problem with making voter IDs the gateway to welfare | The Hindu Editorial

A proposal to use voter identity cards and biometric authentication for welfare payments has triggered a nationwide debate. Critics argue that linking welfare benefits to electoral rolls could exclude vulnerable citizens whose names are missing from voter lists, despite being eligible for government support. The proposal has also revived concerns surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the legal distinction between voting rights and welfare entitlements. This editorial examines the proposal, the legal questions involved, the Supreme Courts observations on electoral rolls, and the potential implications for millions of beneficiaries who depend on government welfare schemes.