Jairam Ramesh questions Centre over reported proposal to replace Aadhaar with Voter ID for welfare schemes

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday questioned the Centre over the reported proposal to use Voter ID instead of Aadhaar to identify beneficiaries of social welfare programmes, seeking clarification on whether the move reflected the official policy of the Narendra Modi-led government.

In a post on X, Ramesh said that the Union Minister of Panchayati Raj had stated twice in the past few days that Voter ID would replace Aadhaar for identifying beneficiaries of social welfare programmes. He questioned whether the government had formally adopted such a proposal as its policy.

"Over the past few days, the Union Minister of Panchayati Raj has said not once but twice that Voter ID will replace Aadhaar for identifying beneficiaries for social welfare programmes. Is this now official Modi Govt policy?" he asked.

Over the past few days the Union Minister of Panchayati Raj has said not once but twice that Voter ID will replace Aadhaar for identifying beneficiaries for social welfare programmes. Is this now official Modi Govt policy? If indeed it is, then it means that Aadhaar will not be used for the primary purpose for which it was conceived and intended. There have been legitimate concerns that the way Aadhaar has been used lakhs have been denied access to social welfare and security schemes. Making SIR the basis will end up excluding even more people on a massive scale. Vote Chori is just the trailer. The full picture is हक़-हुकूक Chori.- Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) November 5, 2026

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Ramesh further questioned the implications of the reported proposal, arguing that replacing Aadhaar with Voter ID for identifying beneficiaries would mean that Aadhaar would no longer be used for the primary purpose for which it was conceived and intended.

"If indeed it is, then it means that Aadhaar will not be used for the primary purpose for which it was conceived and intended," he further wrote.

The Congress leader also raised concerns over the use of Aadhaar in the delivery of social welfare and security schemes, alleging that its implementation had resulted in lakhs of people being denied access to benefits.

Drawing a parallel with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Ramesh expressed concern that making SIR the basis for identifying beneficiaries could lead to the exclusion of an even larger number of people from welfare programmes.

"There have been legitimate concerns that the way Aadhaar has been used lakhs have been denied access to social welfare and security schemes. Making SIR the basis will end up excluding even more people on a massive scale," he wrote.

Taking his criticism further, Ramesh linked the issue to the Congress party's allegations concerning electoral processes and the rights of citizens, using the phrase 'Vote Chori' to describe what he termed the potential denial of entitlements.

"Vote Chori is just the trailer. The full picture is हक़-हुकूक Chori (Theft of Rights and Entitlements)," the Congress leader said in his post.

His remarks came in response to the Union Minister of Panchayati Raj's statements regarding the proposed use of Voter ID instead of Aadhaar for identifying beneficiaries of social welfare programmes.