In a major administrative overhaul, the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra have declared that Aadhaar cards will no longer be accepted as a valid birth certificate or proof of date of birth. The decision aims to curb the growing misuse of fake birth and death certificates issued using Aadhaar as the sole supporting document.
The Uttar Pradesh Planning Department issued a clear notification stating that an Aadhaar number contains no embedded birth certificate, making it invalid as evidence of birth. Special Secretary Amit Singh Bansal formally directed all state departments to stop accepting Aadhaar for birth verification.
Similarly, the Maharashtra government has ordered that Aadhaar cannot be used to apply for delayed birth certificates, and any certificates issued solely based on Aadhaar — after the Births and Deaths Registration (Amendment) Act, 2023 — will be cancelled. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has also instructed authorities to identify and cancel all suspicious certificates processed without proper documentation and initiate action against officials responsible.
Strict 16-Point Verification Ordered
Maharashtra’s Revenue Department issued a stringent 16-point SOP directing that:
- Orders issued by Deputy Tehsildars after August 11, 2023 (post-amendment) must be withdrawn.
- All withdrawn orders must be re-verified by district collectors or competent authorities.
- Pending applications should be reviewed immediately and invalid ones should be cancelled and deleted from the Civil Registration System (CRS) portal.
Supreme Court Context
The decision stands in contrast with the recent Supreme Court order allowing Aadhaar to be used only as proof of identity for inclusion in the Bihar electoral roll during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The court also allowed the Election Commission to accept Aadhaar among 11 other identity documents.
UP Tightens Crackdown on Illegal Immigrants
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has issued instructions to all district magistrates to identify illegal immigrants and establish temporary detention centres in each district. Those detained will remain in custody until verification is completed and then be deported as per procedure.
UP’s open border with Nepal allows free movement for citizens of both countries, but individuals of other nationalities fall under strict scrutiny. The crackdown coincides with the nationwide SIR process across 12 states and UTs, including Uttar Pradesh, with the final electoral list scheduled for release on February 7, 2026.
Originally published on 24×7-news.com.
