UIDAI urges verification entities to comply with Aadhaar usage hygiene

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has issued a set of guidelines for offline verification seeking entities (OVSEs) highlighting several usage hygiene issues and ways to further enhance people’s trust while using Aadhaar voluntarily for lawful purposes. Entities have been informed to perform verification of Aadhaar after explicit consent of the Aadhaar number holder. These entities need to be courteous to people and assure them about the security and confidentiality of their Aadhaar while conducting offline verification. Besides, entities must maintain the record of the explicit consent received from residents for any future audit by UIDAI or any other legal agency thereof. UIDAI has also asked OVSEs to verify Aadhaar via the QR Code present on all four forms of Aadhaar (Aadhaar letter, e-Aadhaar, m-Aadhaar and Aadhaar PVC card) instead of accepting Aadhaar in physical or electronic form, as a proof of identity. Moreover, entities have been urged to ensure that no services are denied to any resident for refusing to or being unable to undergo offline verification of Aadhaar, provided people is able to identify themselves through other viable alternatives. It has been underlined that OVSEs need to provide residents viable alternative means of identification in addition to Aadhaar, for rendering service.