UIDAI obtains access to 1.55 million deceased individuals' death records to deactivate their Aadhaar numbers
In a bid to maintain the integrity of the Aadhaar system, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has been actively deactivating Aadhaar numbers of deceased individuals. The process involves a multi-source approach, relying on death records obtained from families, state governments, and the Registrar General of India (RGI).
The 'Reporting of Death of a Family Member' facility, launched on the myAadhaar Portal on June 9, 2025, allows any family member to submit the Aadhaar number and death registration number of the deceased, along with other demographic details. After validation, UIDAI deactivates the Aadhaar number to prevent misuse of the identity[1][3].
UIDAI is also collaborating with state governments to identify deceased Aadhaar holders. As a pilot, demographic details of Aadhaar holders aged over 100 years are shared with states for verification[1][3]. Upon receiving verification reports, UIDAI validates the data before deactivation.
The RGI has provided approximately 1.55 crore death records from 24 States/UTs using the Civil Registration System (CRS). UIDAI depends on these official death records, requiring at least 90% name matching and 100% gender matching for confirmation before Aadhaar deactivation[4][2].
Despite millions of deaths recorded annually in India, only around 1.17 crore Aadhaar numbers have been deactivated so far, indicating that UIDAI’s deactivation process is stringent and dependent on accurate death data sharing and validation[1][4].
In addition, UIDAI is exploring the possibility of sourcing death records from banks and other Aadhaar ecosystem entities. It is essential to deactivate a deceased person's Aadhaar number to prevent identity fraud and unauthorized usage[3].
The Aadhaar number, a unique 12-digit digital identity for the residents of India and NRIs, serves as a critical tool for digital authentication. By taking proactive measures to obtain death records from various sources and deactivate Aadhaar numbers after due validation, UIDAI empowers Aadhaar number holders with a unique identity and a digital platform for authentication[4].
Individuals are recommended to report the death of their family members on the myAadhaar Portal after obtaining a death certificate[1]. The deactivation of Aadhaar numbers is in progress for the non-CRS States/UTs, and about 6.7 lakh death records have been received so far[4].
Sources: [1] Times of India, "UIDAI deactivates Aadhaar numbers of deceased persons", June 10, 2025. [2] Economic Times, "UIDAI deactivates Aadhaar numbers of deceased persons with strict validation", June 11, 2025. [3] Financial Express, "UIDAI shares demographic details of Aadhaar holders aged more than 100 years with State Governments", June 12, 2025. [4] Business Standard, "Ministry of Electronics and IT announces UIDAI has accessed 1.55 crore death records with the Registrar General of India", June 15, 2025.
The myAadhaar Portal launched the 'Reporting of Death of a Family Member' facility on June 9, 2025, allowing for the submission of Aadhaar numbers and death registration numbers of deceased individuals for deactivation. This process is essential for preventing identity fraud and unauthorized usage in the Aadhaar system [1].
The deactivation of Aadhaar numbers is a combination of technology and education-and-self-development, as it involves the use of digital platforms for reporting death and the need for users to stay informed about the correct procedures [2]. It is also a matter of general news, as the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) collaborates with various sources to obtain death records and validate them before deactivation [3].
