The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on Tuesday told the Delhi High Court that it does not collect biometric information suitable for forensic purposes and hence Aadhaar cannot be used for identification of bodies.
In an affidavit, the UIDAI submitted it does not collect biometric information such as iris scan and fingerprints, based on technologies, standards or procedures that are suitable for forensic purposes.
“Therefore using the biometric data for identification of dead bodies may not be technologically feasible,” it said.
Activist’s plea
The response came on social activist and advocate Amit Sahni’s plea seeking to use UIDAI data to identify dead bodies, the same way it is being used to trace missing persons.
Advocate Sahni referred to recent news reports, in which the UIDAI has claimed to have traced over 500 children using Aadhaar biometrics.
Taking note of Advocate Sahni’s submission, a Bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V.K. Rao asked the UIDAI to come up with an additional answer on the issue.
SC verdict
In its written submission, the UIDAI has also stated that Aadhaar data cannot be legally utilised in the manner Advocate Sahni is asking it to be used for. It referred to a Supreme Court verdict which ruled that no core biometrics information could be used for any other purpose than that permitted in the Aadhaar Act.
The UIDAI added, “The Aadhaar technology only permits biometric authentication which are done on a 1:1 basis for which it is necessary to have the Aadhaar number of the individual.”
“Therefore, 1:N search if an unidentified body [with no Aadhaar number, no demographic details, and only partial or latent biometrics], as requested by the petitioner, is beyond the mandate and scope of UIDAI and technologically unfeasible,” it added.
Delivery of subsidies
Additionally, the UIDAI argued that the object of Aadhaar is for targeted delivery of services and subsidies and “no Aadhaar data can be shared by any individual or entity with any individual or entity without the consent of resident for that particular purpose.”
Advocate Sahni sought a direction to the authorities, saying usage of the Aadhaar information would not only reduce manpower, expenditure and burden on the state in disposing of the unidentified bodies but the bodies could also be handed over to the families in a short span of time.
