Union govt. makes it clear that Aadhaar card no proof of citizenship, birth date
- January 27, 2024
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Union govt. makes it clear that Aadhaar card no proof of citizenship, birth date
Subject: Polity
Section: Constitution
Context:
- New Aadhaar cards and PDF versions now explicitly state that they are only proof of identity, not citizenship or date of birth.
- Government departments and organizations are cautioned against using Aadhaar for citizenship or birth date verification.
More About News:
- Aadhaar has never served as proof of citizenship, as even foreign nationals living in India for 180 days are eligible to obtain one.
- Offline authentication of Aadhaar requires scanning the QR code or using an XML file issued by UIDAI.
- Some organizations, like the Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO), no longer accept Aadhaar as proof of birth date based on a recent circular.
- Updates: A 2018 memorandum clarified that Aadhaar is not proof of birth date.
About Aadhaar
- Aadhaar, a 12-digit unique identification number, is issued by the UIDAI to every Indian resident.
- Brought by Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies,Benefits and Services) Act, 2016.
- It serves as proof of identity, tied to biometric and demographic data.
- Launched in 2009, the Aadhaar program aims to offer a distinct and verifiable identity for all Indian residents.
Citizenship
- Citizenship is listed in the Union List under the Constitution and thus is under the exclusive jurisdiction of Parliament.
- The Constitution does not define the term ‘citizen’ but details of various categories of persons who are entitled to citizenship are given in Part 2 (Articles 5 to 11).
- Unlike other provisions of the Constitution, which came into being on January 26, 1950, these articles were enforced on November 26, 1949 itself, when the Constitution was adopted.