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

On the eve of International Human Rights Day, 50 +, several organisations and individuals have launched a “Beware of Aadhaar” Campaign: The signatories have 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

Image: Oneindia

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

Related:

New “advisory on Aadhaar as date of birth proof soon

Assam government introduces stricter Aadhaar rules amid concerns over population discrepancies, increases chances of bureaucracy in the process 

ECI undertaking to SC: Aadhaar number not mandatory to enrol as voter

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