Govt Clarifies Aadhaar Not Mandatory for Death Certificates

The decision was announced by the Home Ministry on Friday.

(Photo: iStock)

The government has made Aadhaar number mandatory for the registration of death from 1 October, to prevent identity fraud. But, it clarified that it is not mandatory to have an Aadhaar number for getting a death certificate.

The Home Ministry said on Friday that it would be applicable for the residents of all states, except Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and Meghalaya, for which a date would be notified separately.

The notification by the Office of the Registrar General, which functions under the Home Ministry, said an applicant is required to provide Aadhaar number or enrolment ID Number (EID) of the deceased and other details as sought in the application for death certificate for the purpose of establishing the identity of the deceased.

However, if the applicant is not aware of the Aadhaar number or EID of the deceased, he or she will be required to provide a certificate that the deceased person did not possess Aadhaar number to the best of his or her knowledge, the notification said. 

The use of Aadhaar for the applicants of death certificate will result in ensuring accuracy of the details provided by the relatives, dependents, acquaintances of the deceased.

It will provide an effective method to prevent identity fraud.

The directive would be applicable for the residents of all states except Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and Meghalaya, for which a date would be notified separately.

Aadhaar number will be required for the purpose of establishing the identity of the deceased for the purpose of death registration, with effect from 1 October.

Home Ministry Notification

The office of the Registrar General, which functions under the home ministry, said the use of Aadhaar will result in ensuring accuracy of the details provided by the relatives, dependents or acquaintances of the deceased.

"It will provide an effective method to prevent identity fraud. It will also help in recording the identity of the deceased person. Further, it will obviate the need for producing multiple documents to prove the identity of the deceased person," it said.

(With inputs from PTI)

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