- Centre begins Aadhaar data clean up to remove deceased persons
- UIDAI says deactivation aims to stop misuse of identity documents
The Centre has announced a major step to improve the accuracy of national identity records by starting a nationwide Aadhaar data clean up. Officials confirmed that the Unique Identification Authority of India has already deactivated the Aadhaar cards of over 2 crore deceased persons. They said the move will help protect the system from misuse and strengthen the integrity of the national database.
According to the announcement, the clean up programme will focus on identifying records of people who are no longer alive. Authorities said this effort will reduce the risk of fake claims and fraud. They also said the work is part of a larger plan to keep the Aadhaar system updated. Meanwhile, officials stressed that the drive will not affect active or valid Aadhaar users. The update only targets entries that clearly match records of death.
The Unique Identification Authority of India stated that the action is meant to “maintain the integrity of the Aadhaar database and prevent misuse of identity documents.” This clear statement shows the importance of accuracy in identity systems, especially when Aadhaar is used across public and private services. Therefore, the clean up helps both the government and the public. It also ensures that data remains trustworthy.
Later, officials said the deactivation of Aadhaar numbers belonging to deceased persons will also support welfare schemes. Many schemes depend on Aadhaar for authentication. Removing inactive records lowers the chance of benefit leakage. The announcement also highlights how large the Aadhaar database has become since its launch. The new clean up programme marks one of the biggest corrections carried out so far.
In addition, the move may help reduce errors in future data checks. It may also make it easier for agencies to verify information. However, the Centre has not yet shared details on the next phase of the programme. For now, the focus stays on completing the removal of incorrect entries. The work signals a push for higher data quality and smoother service delivery.
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