In a significant move aimed at enhancing data privacy and security, authorities have made a key change regarding the use of Aadhaar cards in document registration. According to a new notification, Sub Registrar offices will now only include the last four digits of the Aadhaar number on registration documents, while masking the remaining numbers with asterisks. This rule has been put in place to mitigate the risk of fraud related to Aadhaar cards and misuse of the Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS).
The notification, issued by the Chief Inspector of Registration and Superintendent of Stamps in Gandhinagar, instructs all registrar offices to implement the change immediately. "The full Aadhaar number of parties involved in document registration will no longer be specified," said the notification.
The public has also been advised that they should refrain from mentioning their full Aadhaar number in documents presented for registration at the Sub-Registrar office. If Aadhaar information is required, only the last four digits should be included, with the preceding digits replaced by asterisks.
While the new rule limits the use of Aadhaar numbers in the documentation, the Aadhaar card will still need to be submitted to the Sub Registrar office as proof of identity. However, it will be retained in the office records and will not be attached to the public document, making it strictly a form of identification rather than part of the document itself.
"There is no prohibition on using the Aadhaar card as a proof of identity," the notification clarified. However, it instructed Sub Registrar offices to ensure that Aadhaar cards do not form part of the public records moving forward.
The new rule is in line with ongoing efforts to secure personal data and to minimize the risk of financial and identity fraud. With the issuance of this notification, authorities aim to strike a balance between the convenience of Aadhaar-based identity verification and the imperative to safeguard sensitive personal information.
