Beware of Aadhaar

Aadhaar is India’s unique identity number, linked with a person’s biometrics (fingerprints, iris and photograph as of now). The number was rolled out with fanfare from 2009 onwards. The use of this number, and of Aadhaar-based biometric authentication (ABBA), was promoted to the hilt by the Indian government in close collaboration with the IT industry. Aadhaar was supposed to be voluntary, but it quickly became clear that living without it would be very difficult for most. Today, it is as good as compulsory. Most social benefits are out of reach without Aadhaar.

Aadhaar was rolled out in an explicitly “evangelistic” mode from day one. In recent years, it has been projected as a grand success by its promoters. Their friends in high places (like Davos, the World Bank, and the B&M Gates Foundation) are on board. There is an attempt, partly successful already, to project Aadhaar as a model and “export” it to other countries.

For our part, we view Aadhaar as a failed and objectionable model that should not be replicated in other countries, certainly not in its Indian version.

Our main concerns are as follows:

1. Aadhaar involves the creation a centralized database that includes biometrics as well as demographic information (e.g. name, gender, date of birth and address). This could turn into a dangerous tool of social control, especially but not only in the hands of an authoritarian government.
2. The linkage of numerous databases with Aadhaar magnifies the danger of it becoming a tool for profiling, surveillance, exclusion and worse. Centralized databases also pose data security risks by creating a single point of failure.
3. While the “core biometrics” (biometrics minus photograph) in the Aadhaar database are supposed to be secure, the rest is freely shared with authorised users of Aadhaar authentication, with minimal safeguards. This is a major infringement of privacy.
4. The demographic details attached to Aadhaar numbers in the database are full of errors, partly due to hasty rollout. Yet severe restrictions have been placed on correcting this information. Meanwhile, people are expected to align other documents with this unreliable information. This is causing endless hassles to poor people. Many of them are excluded from some or all social benefits.
5. Biometric failures are another major source of social exclusion, especially for the elderly. Aadhaar was rolled out without any transparency about the reliability of biometric authentication.
6. A significant minority of people, mainly from marginalised groups (including disabled persons), do not have Aadhaar for some reason and no fault of their own. They are excluded from most social benefits.
7. If an Aadhaar number is lost, it can be very difficult to retrieve. Poor people have been forced to make long and expensive trips to regional assistance centres for this purpose. Some never managed to retrieve it, and are now deprived of all social benefits.
8. The coercive “seeding” of Aadhaar with endless databases (ration cards, job cards, pension lists, bank accounts, voter lists, what not), associated with function creep, is a monumental waste of time for functionaries and citizens. Seeding sounds simple but it requires biometric or demographic verification. Both can be very cumbersome.
9. The rush for correction or update of Aadhaar details has led to humongous queues at many assistance centres, where people often wait in line for hours with no guarantee of remedy. There are no facilities for tracking of grievance redressal, continuity of assistance, or other relief. People’s time and money are wasted to no end.
10. Far from rooting out corruption, Aadhaar’s centralised database has enhanced information asymmetries and reduced transparency. Integration of Aadhaar with the banking system has magnified exposure to new vulnerabilities such as identity fraud.
11. At every step, the Aadhaar project has been a law unto itself. It began without any legal backing. Later, the Aadhaar Act was passed by bypassing the Upper House of Parliament. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) often violates orders of the Supreme Court of India (e.g., protections for children and against use by private entities). It has enormous power and regularly issues rules that make life difficult for millions, without any serious feedback from affected people. A critical provision for parliamentary oversight of UIDAI was dropped in the final version of the Aadhaar Act.

Articles and reports amplifying these concerns are available at rethinkaadhaar.in

The promoters of Aadhaar were never able to justify this particular identity model or to explain what ills it is supposed to remedy. Instead, they relied on propaganda to push for it.

Many countries have functional identity systems that are less coercive, invasive, exclusionary and unreliable than Aadhaar.

We urge the greatest caution from countries that are considering a replication of the Aadhaar model. We would be happy to facilitate field visits for anyone interested in understanding these problems in more detail.

(Endorsed by more than 50 organisations, aside from individual signatories – see attached list.)

Signatory Organisations

1. All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA)
2. All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ)
3. All India Progressive Women’s Association (AIPWA)
4. All India Students’ Association (AISA)
5. Ambedkarijame Punadi (Andhra Pradesh)
6. Bahutva Karnataka
7. Campaign for Survival and Dignity (CSD)
8. Dalit Bahujan Front
9. Democratic Students’ Federation (DSF)
10. Gig and Platform Services Workers Union
11. Grakoos Union
12. Hamal Panchayat (trade union)
13. Human Rights Law Network (HRLN)
14. Internet Freedom Foundation
15. Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan (JJSS)
16. Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA)
17. Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha (JJM)
18. JNU Students Union
19. Karwan e Mohabbat
20. Khudai Khidmatgar India
21. LibTech India
22. Maadhyam (a civic engagement initiative)
23. Maharashtra Shramik Ustod & Vahtuk Kamgar Sanghatana (trade union)
24. Manjeera Dalitha Seva Samithi (Telangana)
25. Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS)
26. Moneylife Foundation
27. National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM)
28. National Alliance for Justice, Accountability and Rights (NAJAR)
29. National Campaign Committee for Central Legislation on Construction Workers
30. National Campaign Committee for Unorganised Sector Workers (NCCUSW)
31. National Campaign Committee on Eradication of Bonded Labour (NCCEBL)
32. National Campaign for People’s Right to Information (NCPRI)
33. National Confederation of Dalit Organisations (NACDOR)
34. National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW)
35. National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD)
36. New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI)
37. NREGA Sansharsh Morcha
38. NREGA Watch (Jharkhand)
39. Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity (PBKMS)
40. Pension Parishad
41. People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL)
42. People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR)
43. RANG Foundation
44. Rethink Aadhaar
45. Right to Food Campaign
46. Safai Karmachari Andolan (SKA)
47. Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (SAHMAT)
48. Samalochana Association (Andhra Pradesh)
49. Sangatin Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan (SKMS)
50. Satark Nagrik Sangathan
51. Social Accountability Forum for Action and Research (SAFAR)
52. SR Sankaran Adivasi Sahaya Kendram (Andhra Pradesh)
53. United Forum for RTI Campaign (Andhra Pradesh)
54. United Milli Forum (Jharkhand)

Individual Signatories

1. Aakar Patel, Writer
2. Aban Raza, concerned citizen
3. Abha Bhaiya, India coordinator, One Billion Rising campaign
4. Aditi Mishra, Jawaharlal Nehru University
5. Adv Albertina, National Alliance of People’s Movements
6. Advocate Dr Shalu Nigam, Lawyer and researcher
7. Advocate Vertika Mani, Org. Secretary, People's Union for Civil Liberties
8. Akhila Phadnis, concerned citizen
9. Akshay S Dinesh, Action for Equity
10. Alok Laddha, Chennai Mathematical Institute
11. Alphonse Raj, concerned citizen
12. Amber Sinha, Tech Policy Press
13. Ambika Tandon, University of Cambridge
14. Anand Mazgaonkar, concerned citizen
15. Anand Patwardhan, Filmmaker
16. Anand Teltumbde, Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights, Mumbai
17. Anantha, concerned citizen
18. Anivar A Aravind, concerned citizen
19. Ankita Aggarwal, concerned citizen
20. Annie Raja, concerned citizen
21. Anjor, Dialogues on Democracy and Development
22. Anupam Pachauri, Indira Gandhi National Open University
23. Anuradha Talwar, Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity
24. Anurag Mehra, Retired IIT Faculty
25. Arun Khote, National Movement for Land, Labour & Justice
26. Arun Kumar, Retired Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University
27. Aruna Rodrigues, concerned citizen
28. Aruna Roy, School for Democracy
29. Arundhati Dhuru, NAPM Convenor
30. Arundhati Roy, Writer
31. Ashish Ranjan, National Alliance of People’s Movements
32. Ashlesh Biradar, Brave New Web
33. Ashok Bharti, National Confederation of Dalit Organisations
34. Ashokan Nambiar, C MAHE, Manipal, Karnataka
35. Avantika Tewari, Jawaharlal Nehru University
36. Baghamabar Pattnaik, Anti-slavery India
37. Bela Bhatia, Lawyer and writer
38. Bezwada Wilson, National Convenor, Safai Karmchari Andolan
39. Bhanuj Kappal, Independent journalist
40. Bhanwar Meghwanshi, People’s Union for Civil Liberties
41. Bhargav Oza, National Alliance for Justice, Accountability, and Rights
42. Bhoomika Pandhare, concerned citizen
43. Bhupen Singh, University of Sussex
44. Bittu K R, Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression
45. Brinda Crishna, concerned citizen
46. Budhaditya Bhattacharya, concerned citizen
47. Chirashree Das Gupta, Jawaharlal Nehru University
48. Clifton D'Rosario, advocate
49. Colin Gonsalves, advocate
50. Danish Ali, concerned citizen
51. Dayamani Barla, concerned citizen
52. Deep Chandra Joshi, concerned citizen
53. Devi, All India Democratic Women’s Association
54. Dorothy Vallado, concerned citizen
55. Dr Indu Prakash Singh, Facilitator, CityMakers Mission International
56. Dr Sudhir Vombatkere, concerned citizen
57. Dr Sylvia Karpagam, Public health doctor
58. Dwiji Guru, National Alliance of People’s Movements
59. Edwin, OpenSpace
60. Firoz Ahmad, school teacher
61. Francis Bosco, National Federation of Unorganised and Migrant Workers
62. Gangaram Paikra, concerned citizen
63. Gautam Bhatia, Constitutional law scholar and Professor of Law
64. Gouranga Mohapatra, Jana Swasthya Abhiyan Odisha
65. Gowramma, Akila Bharath Janavadi Mahila Sangatane (Karnataka)
66. H M Sunasara, concerned citizen
67. Harish Dhawan, concerned citizen
68. Harsh Mander, Karwan e Mohabbat
69. Hemant Sareen, concerned citizen
70. Himmat Singh Ratnoo, Former Secretary MDU Teachers' Association (MDUTA) Rohtak
71. Hindolee Datta, concerned citizen
72. Indira C, Public health researcher
73. Indira Unninayar, Advocate, Supreme Court and Delhi High Court
74. Jagdish Patel, concerned citizen
75. Jayati Ghosh, Economist
76. James Herenj, NREGA Watch Jharkhand
77. Jean Drèze, Development economist
78. John Dayal, Writer
79. John Simte, Lawyer
80. Justice A.P. Shah, Retired Judge and former Chairman of the Law Commission of India
81. JT D’souza, concerned citizen
82. K.A. Verghese, Green Kerala
83. Karen Gabriel, St Stephen's College, Delhi
84. Karuna M, NREGA Sangharsh Morcha
85. Kalyani Menon Sen, Independent researcher
86. Kelvin, concerned citizen
87. Kiran Jonnalagadda, concerned citizen
88. Koninika Ray, National Federation of Indian Women
89. Krishnakant Chauhan, Activist
90. Laavanya Tamang, Independent researcher
91. Lawrence Liang, Legal academic
92. Laxmi Murthy, Journalist and researcher
93. Lubna Sarwath, Advocate
94. M S Sriram, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
95. M. Balakrishnan, concerned citizen
96. Maimoona Mollah, Women's rights activist
97. Martin Macwan, concerned citizen
98. Matthe Mautarelli, concerned citizen
99. Meera Sanghamitra, National Alliance of People’s Movements
100. Meghna Jayanth, concerned citizen
101. Meghna Yadav, Researcher
102. Mritiunjoy Mohanty, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (retd)
103. Mukul Kesavan, Retired teacher
104. Nandini Sundar, University of Delhi
105. Nandita Narain, Associate Professor (Retd), St. Stephen's College, Delhi University
106. Nandita Sengupta, Journalist, Times of India
107. Navsharan Singh, Researcher activist
108. Nayanjyoti, Lecturer in Development Studies, Delhi
109. NB Murthy, concerned citizen
110. Neeraj Hatekar, Researcher
111. Nikhil Dey, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan
112. Nishant S, Researcher
113. Nishi, concerned citizen
114. Nitish Kumar, Former JNUSU President
115. Nivedita Menon, Jawaharlal Nehru University
116. Om Damani, concerned citizen
117. P. Sainath, journalist
118. Padmini Ramesh, Johns Hopkins University
119. Paran Amitava, PhD Scholar, Jawaharlal Nehru University
120. Parth Sharma, Nivarana
121. Parthasarathi Paul, concerned citizen
122. Persis Ginwalla, concerned citizen
123. Praavita, Rethink Aadhaar
124. Pradeep E, concerned citizen
125. Pradyumna Behera, Independent researcher
126. Prafulla Samantara, President, Lok Shakti Abhiyan
127. Prakash Louis, Bihar migrant hub
128. Prasad Chacko, Social worker, Ahmedabad
129. Prasanna S, Advocate, Supreme Court of India
130. Praveer Peter, National Alliance of People’s Movements
131. Prof Ritu Dewan, Director (Retd), Mumbai School of Economics & Public Policy
132. Prof. Mohan Rao, concerned citizen
133. Purbayan C, Advocate
134. Pushpendra, Former Professor, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai
135. Rahul Basu, concerned citizen
136. Raj Shekhar, Right to Food Campaign
137. Rajaraman, Independent journalist and researcher
138. Rajesh Ramakrishnan, concerned citizen
139. Rajinder Chaudhary, Former Professor of Economics, MD University, Rohtak
140. Rama Teltumbde, concerned citizen
141. Raman Jit Singh Chima, Lawyer
142. Ramdas Rao, Member, People’s Union for Civil Liberties
143. Rammanohar Reddy, Editor
144. Reetika Khera, Development economist
145. Renuka Kad, concerned citizen
146. Ritash, RANG Foundation
147. Rohini Hensman, Writer and independent scholar
148. Rohith Jyothish, concerned citizen
149. Rosamma Thomas, concerned citizen
150. S.Q. Masood, ASEEM
151. Sakina Dhorajiwala, LibTech India
152. Sameet Panda, Right to Food Campaign
153. Sandeep Khurana, Retired professional
154. Sandeep Mertia, Stevens Institute of Technology
155. Sarah M, concerned citizen
156. Seema Mahi, concerned citizen
157. Shabnam Hashmi, Independent social activist
158. Shahjahan, concerned citizen
159. Shahvir Aga, concerned citizen
160. Shailja Tandon, concerned citizen
161. Shailly Gupta, concerned citizen
162. Shantha Sinha, Independent advocate of children's rights
163. Sharanya, Indigenous People’s Land, Life and Knowledge Collective
164. Shishu Ranjan, All India Forum for Right to Education
165. Shiva Shankar, Retired academic
166. Shreekant Gupta, Professor (retired), University of Delhi
167. Shruti Narayan, Lawyer
168. Siddharth de Souza, concerned citizen
169. Siddhartha Das, Public health activist
170. Snehan Kekre, Technologist
171. Sookthi K, concerned citizen
172. Srikanth, CashlessConsumer
173. Srinivas Kodali, Independent researcher
174. Srujana Bej, Jindal Global Law School, O.P. Jindal Global University
175. Stella James, Independent legal consultant
176. Sucheta Dalal, Founder Trustee, Moneylife Foundation
177. Sudhir Gandotra, concerned citizen
178. Sunil Kaul, Right to Food and Information
179. Suresh Chandra Joshi, concerned citizen
180. Suruchi, concerned citizen
181. Swathi, Eddelu, Karnataka
182. Swati Desai, concerned citizen
183. Swati Narayan, National Law School of India University, Bengaluru
184. Syed Asif Ali Zaidi, Lawyer
185. T M Krishna, Musician and author
186. T. Ramakrishnan, concerned citizen
187. Tarangini Sriraman, King's College, London
188. Timir Basu, Frontier Weekly
189. Trilochan S, concerned citizen
190. Uma Chakravarti, historian
191. Usha Ramanathan, Independent law researcher
192. V Rukmini Rao, Feminist activist
193. V Upadhyay, Retired professor
194. Vasavi Kiro, concerned citizen
195. Vasundhar, concerned citizen
196. Veena Shatrugna, Independent researcher
197. Vickram Crishna, Independent researcher
198. Vimala k.s., concerned citizen
199. Vipul Paikra, Independent researcher
200. Vivek K, concerned citizen
201. Winona D'Souza, Lawyer, Mumbai