Aadhar
Why it Matters?
The Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to accept Aadhaar as the 12th indicative document for identity verification during Bihar’s special electoral roll revision. About 65 lakh voters were excluded, and the court emphasized publicity of this order to ensure inclusion.
What You Should Know?
Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identity number issued by the UIDAI to residents of India.
It is based on biometric data (fingerprints, iris scan) and demographic information (name, date of birth, address).
Aadhaar serves as proof of identity and residence, but it is not proof of citizenship.
NRIs are also eligible to enrol for Aadhaar. Indian Passport is a mandatory Proof of Identity for Aadhaar enrolment for NRIs.
It is used in government welfare schemes, such as LPG subsidy and MGNREGA, and for banking KYC.
It is governed by the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies) Act, 2016.
The Supreme Court (2018) ruled it constitutional, but it cannot be mandatory for school admissions or private telecom services without consent.