New Delhi: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is considering a legal ban on photocopying and storing Aadhaar cards. The proposal aims to end the widespread practice of demanding photocopies of Aadhaar for various services and instead move entirely to digital verification.
Verification would be done either by scanning the QR code on the Aadhaar card or through the Aadhaar mobile application. The objective is to completely eliminate the use of paper copies of Aadhaar.
At present, photocopies of Aadhaar are commonly required for a range of purposes—from booking hotel rooms to completing government-related procedures. However, experts have raised concerns that this practice can compromise an individual’s privacy and potentially lead to misuse of personal information.
The government has also noted instances where Aadhaar numbers of others have been illegally used for fraudulent activities. Moving to secure digital verification is expected to significantly reduce such risks.
