UIDAI Deactivates 2.5 Crore Aadhaar Numbers of Deceased Persons

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has deactivated more than 2.5 crore Aadhaar numbers belonging to deceased persons, as part of a nationwide effort to maintain the accuracy, integrity and security of the Aadhaar ecosystem.

Aadhaar remains the world's largest biometric identity system, with approximately 134 crore live Aadhaar holders currently registered.

The clean-up exercise is aimed at preventing identity fraud, misuse of credentials and unauthorised access to government welfare benefits.

Deactivation of Aadhaar After Death Critical to Prevent Misuse

UIDAI emphasised that the deactivation of Aadhaar numbers following the death of an individual is essential, as inactive records can otherwise be exploited for fraudulent transactions or benefit claims.

The authority noted that the State or Union Territory recorded in an individual's Aadhaar address may differ from the State or UT where the death is registered, requiring coordinated data verification across jurisdictions.

Multiple Safeguards in Place to Prevent Identity Fraud

To further strengthen trust in the Aadhaar system and ensure leak-proof delivery of benefits, UIDAI has implemented a range of security and fraud-prevention measures, including:

• Biometric Lock/Unlock feature allowing Aadhaar holders to lock their biometrics to prevent unauthorised authentication

• Aadhaar Lock/Unlock for added control over usage

• Face Authentication with Liveness Detection to prevent spoofing and ensure physical presence during transactions

• Offline Verification tools, including Aadhaar Secure QR Code, paperless offline e-KYC, e-Aadhaar and verifiable digital credentials

• No sharing of core biometric information by UIDAI under any circumstances

• Secure data storage through mandatory Aadhaar Data Vaults, ensuring Aadhaar numbers are stored in encrypted form

• Regular database sanitisation, including de-duplication and deactivation of Aadhaar numbers of deceased persons

Strict Controls on Data Updates

UIDAI clarified that updates to demographic details of Aadhaar holders are permitted only on the basis of documents approved by UIDAI, ensuring accuracy and preventing manipulation of identity records.

New Aadhaar App Enhances Secure Credential Sharing

In a further push towards secure digital governance, UIDAI has launched a new Aadhaar mobile application that allows Aadhaar holders to share verified credentials securely with Offline Verification Seeking Entities (OVSEs), eliminating the need for physical document copies.

Parliamentary Disclosure

The information was shared by Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Jitin Prasada, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on 4 February 2026.

The government said the continued strengthening of Aadhaar safeguards reflects its commitment to digital trust, data security and transparent delivery of welfare benefits across the country.