Madras High Court Empowers Senior Citizens to Correct Aadhaar Errors Locally

Court mandates UIDAI to enhance infrastructure for demographic corrections in Aadhaar cards, ensuring fundamental rights and accessibility for all  

In a landmark decision, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to decentralize the process for correcting demographic errors in Aadhaar cards, making it more accessible, especially for senior citizens and individuals residing in remote areas. The ruling comes in response to a petition filed by P. Pushpam, a 74-year-old widow, whose pension transfer was stalled due to inaccuracies in her Aadhaar card.  

Justice G.R. Swaminathan, presiding over the case, emphasized the statutory right under Section 31 of the Aadhaar Act, 2016, which entitles Aadhaar number holders to seek alterations in their demographic information. The court underscored the responsibility of UIDAI to facilitate these changes upon verifying the correctness of the applicant's information, thereby safeguarding fundamental rights associated with welfare benefits.  

The court criticized the current infrastructure, which restricts significant updates like name or date of birth corrections to centralized Aadhaar Seva Kendras (ASKs), leading to long queues and accessibility issues. Justice Swaminathan highlighted the inadequate number of ASKs in Tamil Nadu, causing inconvenience to citizens like Pushpam, who was required to travel from Ramanathapuram to Madurai for corrections.  

Acknowledging the challenges faced by citizens across India, the court urged UIDAI to establish more ASKs at district levels and empower local centers to handle basic updates, ensuring effective grievance redressal mechanisms. The judgment aligns with the principles of good governance and fundamental rights, emphasizing the necessity for UIDAI to develop infrastructure that enables citizens to exercise their rights conveniently.  

The court's decision is expected to significantly impact the accessibility of Aadhaar services, facilitating smoother integration with welfare schemes and reinforcing the fundamental right to receive benefits funded by the Consolidated Fund of India. UIDAI is now tasked with implementing these changes by March 2026, as proposed, to enhance service delivery and uphold citizen rights.  

Bottom Line:

Aadhaar Act - Right of Aadhaar number holder to seek alteration of demographic information is a statutory and fundamental right. Duty is cast upon the Authority to ensure alterations to Aadhaar data when satisfied with the correctness of the information provided by the applicant, and adequate infrastructure should be established to facilitate the exercise of this right.

Statutory provision(s): Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, Section 31, Constitution of India, Article 226

P. Pushpam v. Director, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), (Madras)(Madurai Bench) : Law Finder Doc Id # 2801989