Aadhaar Cards Now Clearly State Document’s Limits

New Aadhaar cards and digital copies now prominently state they are “proof of identity, not of citizenship or date of birth.” The explicit disclaimers signal to government agencies not to use Aadhaar for confirming citizenship or age. Though foreign residents can obtain Aadhaar after 6 months in India, departments currently accept it for services reserved for citizens and adults.

Election Commission Policy Impacts

For example, the Election Commission allows using Aadhaar as proof of date of birth for voter enrollment. The visible warning on Aadhaar cards challenges this and other allowances. The new cards also advise verifying Aadhaar offline only through the QR code or XML file from the Unique ID Authority.

Aadhaar Removed as DOB Proof

At least one major organization, the Employees Provident Fund Organisation, has stopped accepting Aadhaar as date of birth proof, per a January 2023 circular. The retirement fund administrator deleted Aadhaar from acceptable documents.

Longstanding Rules Now Visible

In fact, rules against using Aadhaar to prove age or citizenship date back years. A 2018 government memo first clarified it was not valid as DOB proof. Last year’s court ruling cited in a UIDAI circular reminded agencies, with the disclaimer now hard to miss on all cards as visual reinforcement.

Proof of Uniqueness and Residency Only

While Aadhaar serves as proof of unique identity and residence for Indian inhabitants, the 12-digit number cannot reliably confirm citizenship or date of birth on its own. Yet various government bodies currently accept stand-alone Aadhaar as sufficient identity documentation from citizens.

Month: Current Affairs - February, 2024 • Current Affairs - January, 2024

Category: Legal & Constitution Current Affairs