The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has successfully completed one of its largest-ever data hygiene drives, officially deactivating over 2 crore Aadhaar numbers belonging to deceased individuals. This monumental clean-up aims to safeguard the integrity of Indiaβs core digital identity system and drastically reduce the potential for identity fraud and misuse of government welfare schemes.
The action was confirmed in a statement by the Ministry of Electronics & IT, emphasizing that maintaining an accurate and current database is crucial for the reliability of the entire Aadhaar ecosystem.
This Massive Aadhaar Deactivation is Necessary
The 12-digit Aadhaar number is the foundation for various subsidies, bank accounts, pensions, and government services. An active Aadhaar number belonging to a deceased person creates significant risk:
Preventing Identity Fraud: An inactive Aadhaar prevents malicious acts from frauds using the ID to impersonate the dead person for financial gains or other illegal activities.
Stopping Welfare Misuse: Deactivation ensures that welfare benefits, such as pensions, rations via PDS, and other subsidies, are not continually claimed by ineligible parties, leading to substantial savings for the exchequer.
Database Integrity: This exercise maintains the accuracy of the massive Aadhaar database, which is vital for planning and delivering services across the country.
Crucial Point: UIDAI reiterated that Aadhaar numbers are never reassigned to another individual, regardless of deactivation.
How UIDAI Identified the Deceased Records
The authority employed a layered, multi-source approach to identify and verify the deceased records before initiating the deactivation:
Registrar General of India (RGI): Matching Aadhaar records with official death registration data.
State and UT Administrations: Leveraging data from Civil Registration Systems (CRS).
Central Schemes: Cross-referencing records from the Public Distribution System (PDS) and the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP).
UIDAI is also exploring partnerships with financial institutions and other entities to further streamline the secure sharing of authenticated death data.
Action Required: How Families Can Report a Death
To ensure the timely deactivation of a family memberβs Aadhaar and to support this critical national clean-up, the UIDAI has encouraged all citizens to utilize the newly launched online service:
Service Name: “Reporting of death of a family member.”
Where to Find It: Available on the official myAadhaar portal.
Current Status: The facility is currently integrated with the Civil Registration System (CRS) for 25 States and Union Territories, with integration for the remaining regions actively underway.
The Reporting Process: A family member must authenticate themselves on the portal using their own Aadhaar, and then provide the deceased person’s Aadhaar number, the official Death Registration Number, and basic demographic details. UIDAI then validates this information before proceeding with the deactivation.
By prioritizing this clean-up, the UIDAI is reinforcing public trust and ensuring that India’s digital identity framework remains robust, secure, and focused on genuine citizens.