Context
Recently, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) first issued a warning to the public not to share a photocopy of their Aadhaar with any organisation, and then withdrew the warning over worries that it was open to “misinterpretation”.
What was the Initial Warning from UIDAI?
- The UIDAI warned the “general public not to share photocopy of one’s Aadhaar with any organisation, because it can be misused”.
- Rather, it recommended using "a masked Aadhaar, which displays only the last four digits of the Aadhaar number".
- It also asked the public to avoid using public computers to download their e-Aadhaar.
- In that case, they were reminded to "permanently delete" any downloaded copies of the same.
- Only those organisations that have obtained a User License from the UIDAI can use Aadhaar to establish the identity of a person.
- Moreover, hotels and movie theatres are not allowed to collect or maintain copies of the Aadhaar cards, due to the Aadhaar Act.
Issue Arisen recently
- The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, has pulled up the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) over a range of issues related to the issuance of Aadhaar cards.
- In 2018, the Supreme Court had struck down Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act.
- Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act essentially allowed private entities to collect citizens’ Aadhaar details. While reading down the provision, the top court had called it “unconstitutional”.
- Later, the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019 was issued which allowed banks and telecom operators to collect Aadhaar details as a proof of identity.
What is the Unique Identification Authority of India?
- The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is a statutory authority established on 12 July 2016 by the Government of India under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, following the provisions of the Aadhaar Act 2016.
- The UIDAI is mandated to assign a 12-digit unique identification (UID) number (Aadhaar) to all the residents of India.
- The UIDAI was initially set up by the Government of India in January 2009, as an attached office under the aegis of the Planning Commission.
- It is mandated to collect demographic and biometric information of the country’s residents, store the data in a central database, and issue to each resident of the country a 12-digit unique identity number called Aadhaar.
- UIDAI is accountable for the authentication and enrolment of Aadhaar, and also to safeguard the data protection of identity information of individuals.
- It comes under the Electronics & IT ministry.
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