UIDAI deactivates 2 crore Aadhaar IDs of deceased citizens to prevent identity fraud

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has deactivated more than 2 crore Aadhaar numbers belonging to deceased individuals as part of a nationwide effort to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the Aadhaar database. According to the Ministry of Electronics & IT, the cleanup drive aims to prevent identity fraud and misuse of Aadhaar-linked welfare benefits.

UIDAI reportedly obtained records of deceased persons from the Registrar General of India (RGI), state and union territory administrations, the Public Distribution System, and the National Social Assistance Program. The authority is also seeking partnerships with financial institutions and other agencies to collect additional data on deceased individuals. Officials stressed that Aadhaar numbers are never reassigned once issued.

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Earlier this year, UIDAI introduced a “Reporting of Death of a Family Member” service on the myAadhaar portal to streamline death reporting. The feature is reportedly available in 25 states and union territories that use the Civil Registration System, with integration for remaining regions underway. Through this facility, an authorised family member can log in, submit the deceased person’s Aadhaar number, Death Registration Number, and demographic details, after which the information is validated and the Aadhaar number is deactivated.

UIDAI has urged citizens to report deaths promptly on the portal after receiving an official death certificate.

In a related update, UIDAI recently launched an upgraded version of its Aadhaar mobile app for Android and iOS, offering a cleaner interface, improved speed, and enhanced security features.