Hotels can't take photocopies of your Aadhaar card anymore
What's the story
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is set to introduce a new rule that will stop hotels, event organizers, and other such entities from taking photocopies of customers' Aadhaar cards. The practice is currently against the existing Aadhaar Act. UIDAI CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar said the authority has approved a framework requiring these entities to register for access to a new technology for Aadhaar-based verification.
Verification upgrade
New technology to enhance Aadhaar verification process
The new technology will allow verification via QR code scanning or a new Aadhaar mobile application. Kumar said, "The new rule has been approved by the authority and will be notified soon." The aim is to discourage paper-based Aadhaar verification and improve user privacy. The updated system is also expected to address issues caused by downtime of intermediary servers connecting with the central database.
App development
UIDAI's new app to streamline offline verification
UIDAI is beta-testing a new application that will facilitate app-to-app verification without connecting to the central server for each transaction. This solution can be used at airports and retail outlets selling age-restricted items. Kumar emphasized that this updated framework will improve user privacy and eliminate risks associated with paper-based Aadhaar handling. The app is expected to comply with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, which will be fully operational in 18 months.