The Unique Identification Authority of India notifies Aadhaar (Authentication and Offline Verification) (First Amendment) Regulations, 2022 to further amend the Aadhaar (Authentication and Offline Verification) Regulations, 2021.
Key amendments:
- Insertion of new Regulation 2(1)(ab) defining the term ‘Aadhaar Letter‘ in Aadhaar (Authentication and Offline Verification) Regulations, 2021 as a document for conveying the Aadhar number to a resident.
- Insertion of new Regulation 2(1)(bd) defining the term ‘Aadhaar PVC Card‘ in the Aadhaar (Authentication and Offline Verification) Regulations, 2021 as a Polyvinyl Chloride Card (PVC), issued by the Authority upon payment of prescribed charges, which has Aadhaar number, demographic information and photograph of an Aadhaar number holder printed on it along with Aadhaar Secure QR code and is equivalent to paper–based Aadhaar Letter;
- Insertion of new Regulation 2(1)(ib) defining the term ‘Digital signature‘ in Aadhaar (Authentication and Offline Verification) Regulations, 2021 as digital signature as defined in clause (p) of sub–section (1) of Section 2 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (21 of 2000);
- Insertion of new Regulation 2(1)(ic) defining the term “e–Aadhaar” as a password protected electronic copy of Aadhaar letter, which is digitally signed by the Authority and can be downloaded from the official website or mobile
application of the Authority; - Insertion of new Regulation 2(1)(la) defining the term ‘mAadhaar’ in Aadhaar (Authentication and Offline Verification) Regulations, 2021 as the official mobile application developed by the Authority to provide an interface to Aadhaar Number holders to carry their Aadhaar details as registered with CIDR which inter alia includes Aadhaar number along with demographic information and photograph of the Aadhaar number holder;”
- Insertion of new Regulation 16B and Regulation 16C in Aadhaar (Authentication and Offline Verification) Regulations, 2021 as:
“16B. Manner of voluntary use of Aadhaar number:
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- An Aadhaar number holder may, in accordance with sub-section (3) of section 4 of the Act, voluntarily use the Aadhaar number in physical form, including Aadhaar letter (or copy thereof) or printed e-Aadhaar or Aadhaar PVC Card for a lawful purpose for establishing his identity by way of offline verification and the OVSE shall verify the printed details on Aadhaar letter or printed e-Aadhaar or Aadhaar PVC card with digitally signed Aadhaar Secure QR code12.
- An Aadhar number holder may, in accordance with sub-section (3) of section 4 of the Act, voluntarily use the Aadhaar number in electronic form, including e-Aadhaar or Aadhaar Paperless Offline e-KYC (XML) or m-Aadhaar for a lawful purpose for establishing his identity by way of offline verification and the Offline Verification Seeking Entity shall verify
the digital signature. - An Aadhaar number holder may, in accordance with sub-section (3) of section 4 of the Act, voluntarily use the Aadhaar number in electronic form by way of authentication for a lawful purpose for establishing his identity by way of Yes/No or eKYC authentication facility through an authorized requesting entity.”
“16C. Conditions for accepting an Aadhaar number as proof of identity of the Aadhaar number holder:
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- No Offline Verification Seeking Entity shall accept Aadhaar number, in physical or electronic form (without authentication), as a proof of identity for a lawful purpose, without first verifying the digital signature of the Authority as provided in the Aadhaar secure QR Code on Aadhaar Letter or e-Aadhaar or m-Aadhaar or Aadhaar Paperless Offline e-KYC (XML), as the case may be.
- No requesting entity shall accept Aadhaar number as a proof of identity of the Aadhaar number holder, in electronic form by way of authentication, unless it is for a lawful purpose which is in conformity with the relevant provisions of the Act and only with the informed consent of the Aadhaar number holder and in a manner as provided in these Aadhaar (Authentication and Offline Verification) Regulations, 2021.”