Beware of Aadhaar: A warning on India’s biometric identity model on International Human Rights Day

On the eve of Human Rights Day, 50+, Indian organisations and several individuals have issued a joint statement, “Beware of Aadhar.” For 15 years, India’s Aadhar biometric ID system has been projected globally as a “success story”, from the World Bank’s ID4D to pilots and proposals in countries like Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda and now in renewed debates on a national ID in the United Kingdom (UK). The signatories have however flagged the issue that Aadhaar is “not a model to emulate but it raises serious concerns about surveillance, exclusion and rights violations on the ground. This statement, “Beware of Aadhar” offers a concise critique of India’s digital ID experiment and why exporting it is dangerous.

The statement may be read here:

We, concerned Indian citizens and organisations, are alarmed to note that efforts are being made to promote biometric identity systems similar to Aadhaar in other countries.

Aadhaar is India’s unique identity number, linked with a person’s biometrics (fingerprints, iris and photograph as of now). The number was rolled out with fanfare from 2009 onwards. The use of this number, and of Aadhaar-based biometric authentication (ABBA), was promoted to the hilt by the Indian government in close collaboration with the IT industry. Aadhaar was supposed to be voluntary, but it quickly became clear that living without it would be very difficult for most. Today, it is as good as compulsory. Most social benefits are out of reach without Aadhaar.

Aadhaar was rolled out in an explicitly “evangelistic” mode from day one. In recent years, it has been projected as a grand success by its promoters. Their friends in high places (like Davos, the World Bank, and the B & M Gates Foundation) are on board. There is an attempt, partly successful already, to project Aadhaar as a model and “export” it to other countries.

For our part, we view Aadhaar as a failed and objectionable model that should not be replicated in other countries, certainly not in its Indian version.

Our main concerns are as follows:

1. Aadhaar involves the creation a centralized database that includes biometrics as well as demographic information (e., name, gender, date of birth and address). This could turn into a dangerous tool of social control, especially but not only in the hands of an authoritarian government.
2. The linkage of numerous databases with Aadhaar magnifies the danger of it becoming a tool for profiling, surveillance, exclusion and Centralised databases also pose data security risks by creating a single point of failure.
3. While the “core biometrics” (biometrics minus photograph) in the Aadhaar database are supposed to be secure, the rest is freely shared with authorised users of Aadhaar authentication, with minimal This is a major infringement of privacy.
4. The demographic details attached to Aadhaar numbers in the database are full of errors, partly due to hasty rollout. Yet severe restrictions have been placed on correcting this Meanwhile, people are expected to align other documents with this unreliable information. This is causing endless hassles to poor people. Many of them are excluded from some or all social benefits.
5. Biometric failures are another major source of social exclusion, especially for the elderly. Aadhaar was rolled out without any transparency about the reliability of biometric authentication.
6. A significant minority of people, mainly from marginalised groups (including disabled persons), do not have Aadhaar for some reason and no fault of their own. They are excluded from most social benefits.
7. If an Aadhaar number is lost, it can be very difficult to Poor people have been forced to make long and expensive trips to regional assistance centres for this purpose. Some never managed to retrieve it, and are now deprived of all social benefits.
8. The coercive “seeding” of Aadhaar with endless databases (ration cards, job cards, pension lists, bank accounts, voter lists, what not), associated with function creep, is a monumental waste of time for functionaries and Seeding sounds simple but it requires biometric or demographic verification. Both can be very cumbersome.
9. The rush for correction or update of Aadhaar details has led to humongous queues at many assistance centres, where people often wait in line for hours with no guarantee of remedy. There are no facilities for tracking of grievance redressal, continuity of assistance, or other People’s time and money are wasted to no end.
10. Far from rooting out corruption, Aadhaar’s centralised database has enhanced information asymmetries and reduced Integration of Aadhaar with the banking system has magnified exposure to new vulnerabilities such as identity fraud.
11. At every step, the Aadhaar project has been a law unto It began without any legal backing. Later, the Aadhaar Act was passed by bypassing the Upper House of Parliament. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) often violates orders of the Supreme Court of India (e.g., protections for children and against use by private entities). It has enormous power and regularly issues rules that make life difficult for millions, without any serious feedback from affected people. A critical provision for parliamentary oversight of UIDAI was dropped in the final version of the Aadhaar Act.

Articles and reports amplifying these concerns are available at rethinkaadhaar.in

The promoters of Aadhaar were never able to justify this particular identity model or to explain what ills it is supposed to remedy. Instead, they relied on propaganda to push for it. Many countries have functional identity systems that are less coercive, invasive, exclusionary and unreliable than Aadhaar.

We urge the greatest caution from countries that are considering a replication of the Aadhaar model. We would be happy to facilitate field visits for anyone interested in understanding these problems in more detail.

(Endorsed by more than 50 organisations, aside from individual signatories – see attached list.)

Signatory Organisations 

1. All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA)
2. All India Lawyers Association for Justice {AILAJ)
3. All India Progressive Women’s Association (AIPWA)
4. All India Students’ Association (AISA)
5. Ambedkarijame Punadi (Andhra Pradesh)
6. Bahutva Karnataka
7. Campaign for Survival and Dignity (CSD)
8. Dalit Bahujan Front
9. Democratic Students’ Federation (DSF)
10. Gig and Platform Services Workers Union
11. Grakoos Union
12. Hamal Panchayat (trade union)
13. Human Rights Law Network (HRLN)
14. Internet Freedom Foundation
15. Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan (JJSS)
16. Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA)
17. Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha (JJM)
18. JNU Students Union
19. Karwan e Mohabbat
20. Khudai Khidmatgar India
21. LibTech India
22. Maadhyam (a civic engagement initiative)
23. Maharashtra Shramik Ustod & Vahtuk Kamgar Sanghatana (trade union)
24. Manjeera Dalitha Seva Samithi (Telangana)
25. Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS)
26. Moneylife Foundation
27. National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM)
28. National Alliance for Justice, Accountability and Rights {NAJAR)
29. National Campaign Committee for Central Legislation on Construction Workers
30. National Campaign Committee for Unorganised Sector Workers (NCCUSW)
31. National Campaign Committee on Eradication of Bonded Labour {NCCEBL)
32. National Campaign for People’s Right to Information (NCPRI)
33. National Confederation of Dalit Organisations (NACDOR)
34. National Federation of Indian Women {NFIW)
35. National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled {NPRD)
36. New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI)
37. NREGA Sansharsh Morcha
38. NREGA Watch (Jharkhand)
39. Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity (PBKMS)
40. Pension Parishad
41. People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL)
42. People’s Union for Democratic Rights {PUDR)
43. RANG Foundation
44. Rethink Aadhaar
45. Right to Food Campaign
46. Safai Karmachari Andolan (SKA)Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (SAHMAT)
47. Samalochana Association (Andhra Pradesh)
48. Sangatin Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan (SKMS) SO. Satark Nagrik Sangathan
49. Social Accountability Forum for Action and Research (SAFAR)
50. SR Sankaran Adivasi Sahaya Kendram (Andhra Pradesh)
51. United Forum for RTI Campaign (Andhra Pradesh)
52. United Milli Forum (Jharkhand)

Individual Signatories

1. Aakar Patel, Writer
2. Aban Raza, concerned citizen
3. Abha Bhaiya, India coordinator, One Billion Rising campaign
4. Aditi Mishra, Jawaharlal Nehru University
5. Adv Albertina, National Alliance of People’s Movements
6. Advocate Dr Shalu Nigam, Lawyer and researcher
7. Advocate Vertika Mani, Secretary, People’s Union for Civil Liberties
8. Akhila Phadnis, concerned citizen
9. Akshay S Dinesh, Action for Equity
10. Alok Laddha, Chennai Mathematical Institute
11. Alphonse Raj, concerned citizen
12. Amber Sinha, Tech Policy Press
13. Ambika Tandon, University of Cambridge
14. Anand Mazgaonkar, concerned citizen
15. Anand Patwardhan, Filmmaker
16. Anand Teltumbde, Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights, Mumbai
17. Anantha, concerned citizen
18. Anivar A Aravind, concerned citizen
19. Ankita Aggarwal, concerned citizen
20. Annie Raja, concerned citizen
21. Anjor, Dialogues on Democracy and Development
22. Anupam Pachauri, Indira Gandhi National Open University
23. Anuradha Talwar, Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity
24. Anurag Mehra, Retired IIT Faculty
25. Arun Khote, National Movement for Land, Labour & Justice
26. Arun Kumar, Retired Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University
27. Aruna Rodrigues, concerned citizen
28. Aruna Roy, School for Democracy
29. Arundhati Dhuru, NAPM Convenor
30. Arundhati Roy, Writer
31. Ashish Ranjan, National Alliance of People’s Movements
32. Ashlesh Biradar, Brave New Web
33. Ashok Bharti, National Confederation of Dalit Organisations
34. Ashokan Nambiar, C MAHE, Manipal, Karnataka
35. Avantika Tewari, Jawaharlal Nehru University
36. Baghamabar Pattnaik, Anti-slavery India
37. Bela Bhatia, Lawyer and writer
38. Bezwada Wilson, National Convenor, Safai Karmchari Andolan
39. Bhanuj KappaI, Independent journalist
40. Bhanwar Meghwanshi, People’s Union for Civil Liberties
41. Bhargav Oza, National Alliance for Justice, Accountability, and Rights
42. Bhoomika Pandhare, concerned citizenBhupen Singh, University of Sussex
43. Bittu KR, Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression
44. Brinda Crishna, concerned citizen
45. Budhaditya Bhattacharya, concerned citizen
46. Chirashree Das Gupta, Jawaharlal Nehru University
47. Clifton D’Rosario, advocate
48. Colin Gonsalves, advocate
49. Danish Ali, concerned citizen
50. Dayamani Baria, concerned citizen
51. Deep Chandra Joshi, concerned citizen
52. Devi, All India Democratic Women’s Association
53. Dorothy Vallado, concerned citizen
54. Dr lndu Prakash Singh, Facilitator, CityMakers Mission International
55. Dr Sudhir Vombatkere, concerned citizen
56. Dr Sylvia Karpagam, Public health doctor
57. Dwiji Guru, National Alliance of People’s Movements
58. Edwin, OpenSpace
59. Firoz Ahmad, school teacher
60. Francis Bosco, National Federation of Unorganised and Migrant Workers
61. Gangaram Paikra, concerned citizen
62. Gautam Bhatia, Constitutional law scholar and Professor of Law
63. Gouranga Mahapatra, Jana Swasthya Abhiyan Odisha
64. Gowramma, Akila Bharath Janavadi Mahila Sangatane (Karnataka)
65. H M Sunasara, concerned citizen
66. Harish Dhawan, concerned citizen
67. Harsh Mander, Karwan e Mohabbat
68. Hemant Sareen, concerned citizen
69. Himmat Singh Ratnoo, Former Secretary MDU Teachers’ Association (MDUTA) Rohtak
70. Hindolee Datta, concerned citizen
71. Indira C, Public health researcher
72. Indira Unninayar, Advocate, Supreme Court and Delhi High Court
73. Jagdish Patel, concerned citizen
74. Jayati Ghosh, Economist
75. James Herenj, NREGA Watch Jharkhand
76. Jean Dreze, Development economist
77. John Dayal, Writer
78. John Simte, Lawyer
79. Justice P. Shah, Retired Judge and former Chairman of the Law Commission of India
80. JT D’souza, concerned citizen
81. A. Verghese, Green Kerala
82. Karen Gabriel, St Stephen’s College, Delhi
83. Karuna M, NREGA Sangharsh Morcha
84. Kalyani Menon Sen, Independent researcher
85. Kelvin, concerned citizen
86. Kiran Jonnalagadda, concerned citizen
87. Koninika Ray, National Federation of Indian Women
88. Krishnakant Chauhan, Activist
89. Laavanya Tamang, Independent researcher
90. Lawrence Liang, Legal academic
91. Laxmi Murthy, Journalist and researcher
92. Lubna Sarwath, Advocate
93. M S Sriram, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
94. Balakrishnan, concerned citizen
95. Maimoona Mollah, Women’s rights activist
96. Martin Macwan, concerned citizen
97. Marthe Mautarelli, concerned citizen
98. Meera Sanghamitra, National Alliance of People’s Movements
99. Meghna Jayanth, concerned citizen
100. Meghna Yadav, Researcher
101. Mritiunjoy Mohanty, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta {retd)
102. Mukul Kesavan, Retired teacher
103. Nandini Sundar, University of Delhi
104. Nandita Narain, Associate Professor (Retd), Stephen’s College, Delhi University
105. Nandita Sengupta, Journalist, Times of India
106. Navsharan Singh, Researcher activist
107. Nayanjyoti, Lecturer in Development Studies, Delhi
108. NB Murthy, concerned citizen
109. Neeraj Hatekar, Researcher
110. Nikhil Dey, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan
111. Nishant S, Researcher
112. Nishi, concerned citizen
113. Nitish Kumar, Former JNUSU President
114. Nivedita Menon, Jawaharlal Nehru University
115. Om Damani, concerned citizen
116. Sainath, journalist
117. Padmini Ramesh, Johns Hopkins University
118. Paran Amitava, PhD Scholar, Jawaharlal Nehru University
119. Parth Sharma, Nivarana
120. Parthasarathi Paul, concerned citizen
121. Persis Ginwalla, concerned citizen
122. Praavita, Rethink Aadhaar
123. Pradeep E, concerned citizen
124. Pradyumna Behera, Independent researcher
125. Prafulla Samantara, President, Lok Shakti Abhiyan
126. Prakash Louis, Bihar migrant hub
127. Prasad Chacko, Social worker, Ahmedabad
128. Prasanna s, Advocate, Supreme Court of India
129. Praveer Peter, National Alliance of People’s Movements
130. Prof Ritu Dewan, Director (Retd), Mumbai School of Economics & Public Policy
131. Mohan Rao, concerned citizen
132. Purbayan C, Advocate
133. Pushpendra, Former Professor, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai
134. Rahul Basu, concerned citizen
135. Raj Shekhar, Right to Food Campaign
136. Rajaraman, Independent journalist and researcher
137. Rajesh Ramakrishnan, concerned citizen
138. Rajinder Chaudhary, Former Professor of Economics, MD University, Rohtak
139. Rama Teltumbde, concerned citizen
140. Raman Jit Singh Chima, Lawyer
141. Ramdas Rao, Member, People’s Union for Civil Liberties
142. Rammanohar Reddy, Editor
143. Reetika Khera, Development economist
144. Renuka Kad, concerned citizen
145. Ritash, RANG Foundation
146. Rohini Hensman, Writer and independent scholar
147. Rohith Jyothish, concerned citizen
148. Rosamma Thomas, concerned citizen
149. Q. Masood, ASEEM
150. Sakina Dhorajiwala, LibTech India
151. Sameet Panda, Right to Food Campaign
152. Sandeep Khurana, Retired professional
153. Sandeep Mertia, Stevens Institute of Technology
154. Sarah M, concerned citizen
155. Seema Mahi, concerned citizen
156. Shabnam Hashmi, Independent social activist
157. Shahjahan, concerned citizen
158. Shahvir Aga, concerned citizen
159. Shailja Tandon, concerned citizen
160. Shailly Gupta, concerned citizen
161. Shantha Sinha, Independent advocate of children’s rights
162. Sharanya, Indigenous People’s Land, Life and Knowledge Collective
163. Shishu Ranjan, All India Forum for Right to Education
164. Shiva Shankar, Retired academic
165. Shreekant Gupta, Professor (retired), University of Delhi
166. Shruti Narayan, Lawyer
167. Siddharth de Souza, concerned citizen
168. Siddhartha Das, Public health activist
169. Snehan Kekre, Technologist
170. Sookthi K, concerned citizen
171. Srikanth, CashlessConsumer
172. Srinivas Kodali, Independent researcher
173. Srujana Bej, Jindal Global Law School, P. Jindal Global University
174. Stella James, Independent legal consultant
175. Sucheta Dalal, Founder Trustee, Moneylife Foundation
176. Sudhir Gandotra, concerned citizen
177. Sunil Kaul, Right to Food and Information
178. Suresh Chandra Joshi, concerned citizen
179. Suruchi, concerned citizen
180. Swathi, Eddelu, Karnataka
181. Swati Desai, concerned citizen
182. Swati Narayan, National Law School of India University, Bengaluru
183. Syed Asif Ali Zaidi, Lawyer
184. TM Krishna, Musician and author
185. T. Ramakrishnan, concerned citizen
186. Tarangini Sriraman, King’s College, London
187. Timir Basu, Frontier Weekly
188. Trilochan S, concerned citizen
189. Uma Chakravarti, historian
190. Usha Ramanathan, Independent law researcher
191. V Rukmini Rao, Feminist activist
192. V Upadhyay, Retired professor
193. Vasavi Kiro, concerned citizen
194. Vasundhar, concerned citizen
195. Veena Shatrugna, Independent researcher
196. Vickram Crishna, Independent researcher
197. Vimala s., concerned citizen
198. Vipul Paikra, Independent researcher
199. Vivek K, concerned citizen
200. Winona D’Souza, Lawyer, Mumbai

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