How document deficits may risk disenfranchising the poor, eroding trust in the Election Commission' https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/how-document-deficits-may-risk-disenfranchising-the-poor-eroding-trust-in-the-election-commission/article69940899.ece
New Lokniti-CSDS survey reveals steep fall in public trust in ECI https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/national/new-lokniti-csds-survey-reveals-steep-fall-in-public-trust-in-eci Survey also flags disenfranchisement risk for poorer and marginalised citizens due to Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
The data revealed striking disparities in document possession across class and caste lines. Aadhaar coverage was nearly universal, but access to other forms of identification varied widely. Nine in ten respondents from the general category reported owning a PAN card, compared with just over half among Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). Possession of passports was extremely limited, with only one in five in the general category holding one, and a mere 5 per cent among SCs and 4 per cent among STs.
Birth certificate coverage was even lower. Fewer than half of respondents in any caste group had one, and among SCs the figure dropped to about one in four. At the household level, only one in ten poor families reported that all adult members had birth certificates. Wealth gaps were also evident — nearly half of respondents in the highest income group possessed passports, compared to just one in 20 among the poor.