Supreme Court to Address Aadhaar Issuance Protocols to Combat Identity Fraud

The Supreme Court will consider a plea aimed at directing the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to issue Aadhaar cards only to children under six and set strict guidelines for issuing them to others to prevent impersonation by non-citizens. The plea highlights the potential for Aadhaar misuse.

The Supreme Court is set to examine a plea requesting the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to restrict new Aadhaar issuances to citizens up to the age of six. At the same time, it seeks the establishment of stringent issuance guidelines for adolescents and adults to deter fraudulent claims of Indian citizenship.

The scheduled hearing, as noted in the apex court's May 4 causelist, is before Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. Lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay, through the Public Interest Litigation (PIL), argues that Aadhaar has inadvertently become a critical document enabling individuals to access other essential identification documents.

The petition, filed by advocate Ashwani Dubey, alleges that infiltrators exploit current verification processes to obtain Aadhaar under the false pretense of Indian citizenship. The plea also raises concerns about the Aadhaar Act 2016, questioning its effectiveness in differentiating citizens from foreigners, thus potentially diverting intended welfare resources.