The JSW Centre for the Future of Law at NLSIU is organising an online workshop titled ‘The Right to Work Deleted: A National Statistical Estimate of the Number of MGNREGA Workers Deleted Illegally’ with Mr Chakradhar and Mr Rajendran as part of its monthly workshops.

• Day & Date: Friday, 30 October 2026
• Time: 6:00 PM – 7:15 PM
• Mode: Online

The workshop is open to the public. Kindly register here.

Abstract

The Right to Work Deleted: A National Statistical Estimate of the Number of MGNREGA Workers Deleted Illegally

What happens when the digital implementation of a legal entitlement undermines the right it is meant to support? This paper examines large-scale worker deletions from MGNREGA in the context of the push to implement the Aadhaar-based payment system (ABPS).

Drawing on a random sample of 21 blocks covering over 5.29 lakh worker deletions between 2017 and October 2024, we estimate that nearly two-thirds of workers deleted nationally between 2022 and October 2024 were removed on the grounds of being “unwilling to work”—a reason not permitted under the Act. A cluster bootstrap yields a 95% confidence interval of 58–73%. In the sampled blocks, nearly 30% of workers deleted over the preceding five years for this reason had actually worked, collectively contributing 19.29 lakh person-days.

The findings raise questions about legal compliance, due process and accountability in digital welfare administration. We argue that digital systems implementing statutory entitlements must comply with the law, be designed in consultation with affected stakeholders, and operate within a clear accountability framework. The paper also considers parallels with voter deletions during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

Details of the Speakers

Chakradhar Buddha is a Senior Researcher and co-founder of LibTech India, working on social protection, Adivasi rights and the impact of digital systems on access to entitlements.

Rajendran Narayanan teaches at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, and is a founding member of LibTech India; his work focuses on transparency and accountability in rural social policies.