Modernizing Aadhaar: Harmonizing with New Data Protection Rules

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw urges UIDAI to update the Aadhaar Act to align with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act 2023. The move follows a Supreme Court ruling affirming privacy as a fundamental right. The minister also announced a forthcoming face authentication app to simplify Aadhaar-based transactions.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has called on the UIDAI to revise the Aadhaar Act, integrating it with the recently established Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP) 2023. He addressed the gaps that existed in the Aadhaar framework when it was formulated in 2016, now emphasizing the necessity to align it with contemporary data protection laws.

Vaishnaw underscored the importance of streamlining Aadhaar services to enhance user convenience, highlighting that the DPDP Act emerged from a landmark Supreme Court ruling which recognized the Right to Privacy as a fundamental right. The DPDP Act is set to enforce stronger personal data protections, bridging earlier legal deficiencies.

In addition, the minister announced the introduction of a face authentication app aimed at simplifying Aadhaar-based transactions, noting that facial recognition technology can conveniently be accessed via mobile phones. A beta version of the app was launched recently, with full rollout expected in the coming months pending backup server enhancement.

(With inputs from agencies.)