The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) informed the Delhi High Court that the biometric information submitted by the authority under the Aadhaar Act will not be shared with anyone for any reason. UIDAI said it does not collect biometric information on the basis of appropriate technology, stand or procedure for forensic purposes. An affidavit has been presented in the court on behalf of the foundation making body.
The UIDAI, in an affidavit filed in the High Court, said that Section 2(J) of the Aadhaar Act gives full details of basic biometric information and states that fingerprints, iris scan or any other information, which can be used incorrectly things can be done. For this reason, sharing or using such core biometrics is strictly prohibited.
The reason for the submission of the affidavit by the UIDAI in the court comes as a response to a court’s query in the 2018 robbery and murder case, which sought certain biometric data collected on the site to match with the Aadhaar database. .
UIDAI, the issuing body of Aadhaar, said that biometric information is unique to an individual and hence it is sensitive information. Therefore it needs to be protected to thwart any possibility of misuse.
Not intended to use or share information
The organization said that there is no sharing of biometric information or use of biometric information for any other purpose. Aadhaar number and authentication are not permitted under the Aadhaar Act. Further, no Aadhaar data can be shared by any person or entity with any person or entity without the consent of the resident for that particular purpose.
It is not possible to get information without Aadhaar
Under the purview of the UIDAI Act, the Aadhaar technology allows only biometric authentication, which requires an individual to have an Aadhaar number. For this reason, taking information like fingerprints and photographs without Aadhaar number or demographic details is beyond the scope and technically not feasible, UDIAI said.
