Unique Identification Authority of India
| Aadhaar | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Country | India |
| Ministry | Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, India |
| Key people |
|
| Launched | 28 January 2009 |
| Budget | ₹87.939 billion (US$1.4 billion) (through 31 March 2017) |
| Status | 1.168 billion as of 11 July 2017 |
| Website | uidai |
Aadhaar is a 12 digit unique-identity number issued to all Indian residents based on their biometric and demographic data. The data is collected by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), a statutory authority established on 12 July 2016 by the Government of India, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, under the provisions of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, benefits and services) Act, 2016.
Aadhaar is the world's largest biometric ID system, with over 1.154 billion enrolled members as of 11 June 2017. As of this date, over 99% of Indians aged 18 and above had been enrolled in Aadhaar.World Bank Chief Economist Paul Romer described Aadhar as "the most sophisticated ID programme in world".
In June 2017, Home ministry clarified that Aadhaar is not a valid identification document for Indians travelling to Nepal and Bhutan
Prior to the enactment of the Act, UIDAI functioned as an attached office of Planning Commission (now NITI Aayog) since 28 January 2009. On 3 March 2016, a money bill was introduced in the Parliament to give legislative backing to Aadhaar. On 11 March 2016, the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, benefits and services) Act, 2016 was passed in the Lok Sabha. On 26 March 2016, this Act was notified in the Gazette of India.
As of April 2017, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court of India is considering the legal validity of Aadhaar on right to privacy grounds. On 23 September 2013, the Supreme Court issued an interim order saying that "no person should suffer for not getting Aadhaar" as the government cannot deny a service to a resident if s/he does not possess Aadhaar, as it is voluntary and not mandatory. In another interim order on 11 August 2015, the Supreme Court of India ruled that "UIDAI/Aadhaar will not be used for any other purposes except PDS, kerosene and LPG distribution system" (which order was later amended to include Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, all types of pensions schemes, employee provident fund and the Prime Minister Jan Dhan Yojana), and made it clear that even for availing these facilities Aadhaar card will not be mandatory. On 27 March 2017, the Supreme Court affirmed that Aadhaar can not be mandatory for availing benefits under welfare schemes, though it can be mandatory for other purposes (such as income tax filings, bank accounts etc.). On June 9, 2017, the Supreme Court of India partially read down a legal provision (Section 139AA of the Income Tax Act) which mandated an individual to link their Aadhaar for filing their Income Tax Returns.
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