UP and Maharashtra bar use of Aadhaar as proof of birth

Lucknow: Aadhaar cards will no longer be accepted as proof of birth or as birth certificates in Uttar Pradesh, according to a fresh government order circulated to all departments. The directive, issued by Amit Singh Bansal, special secretary in the Planning Department, states that Aadhaar cannot be used as a substitute for a birth certificate as the two are not linked. All departments have been instructed to implement the order immediately.

Maharashtra has taken a similar stand. State Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has ordered the immediate cancellation of any fraudulent birth or death certificates issued solely on the basis of Aadhaar or other supporting documents. He warned that an FIR will be filed if any discrepancy is found between details provided in birth certificate applications and the information on Aadhaar cards. Reports indicate that the move is aimed at preventing illegal immigration.

Meanwhile, the Unique Identification Authority of India recently removed the Aadhaar numbers of two crore individuals as part of a data update exercise. According to the Ministry of Electronics and IT, the deleted Aadhaar numbers belonged to deceased persons. The UIDAI has said the step is intended to curb fraud and prevent misuse of Aadhaar.