The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has deactivated Aadhaar numbers of more than two crore deceased individuals to keep records straight and prevent identity misuse, an official statement by the identification authority said on Wednesday.
The exercise marks one of the largest reviews undertaken by the body, which said it sourced deceased persons’ data from the Registrar General of India (RGI), states and Union Territories, public distribution system, and national social assistance programme, among others.
“The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has deactivated more than 2 crore Aadhaar numbers of deceased individuals as part of a nationwide clean-up effort to maintain the continued accuracy of the Aadhaar database,” the statement said.
Since no Aadhaar number is ever given to another person, officials said deactivation of unused numbers is necessary to prevent fraud or wrongful use of identities for welfare benefits.
UIDAI said it’s now looking to collaborate with banks and other such financial institutions for sharing deceased persons’ data.
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Additionally, the authority has also introduced a new service by which a family member’s death can be reported on myAadhaar portal, which can be accessed in 25 states and Union Territories that use the Civil Registration System.
“UIDAI is encouraging Aadhaar number holders to report the death of their family members on myAadhaar Portal after obtaining their death certificate from the death registering authorities,” the statement said.
The portal allows a family member to log in, verify their identity, and enter the deceased individual’s Aadhaar number, Death Registration Number, and other basic details. After cross-checking the information, UIDAI begins the process of deactivation.
“The process of integration for remaining States and UTs with the portal is currently underway. The family member, after authenticating himself/herself, is required to provide Aadhaar number and Death Registration Number along with other demographic details of the deceased person on the portal,” the statement said.
Timely reporting of deaths, said the authority, can help avoid the misuse of government subsidies and services that require Aadhaar authentication.
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