Which ID and Address Proof is Most Reliable in India

Which ID and Address Proof is Most Reliable in India

Indian Residents get so many ID Proofs and Address Proofs that they can get undue benefits by producing the ID and/or address proof of their choice. I am a CIBIL Consultant and while investigating and solving the problems of the public in general, I come across intricate problems which are the result of not having one and only one reliable ID and Address Proof in India. Now the time is ripe enough for the Government of India to enact a law to deauthorize all other ID and Address Proofs to be accepted anywhere in India except UID which is the Aadhaar Number. I am sure if the Government of India enacts such a law then it will be very difficult for individuals to get undue benefits or cheat others on the basis of producing ID and Address proofs of their choice. I recommend Aadhaar ID  to be made one and only one ID and Address Proof mandatory for getting any benefit as Aadhaar authentication is based on biometric data. But at the same time, the Government of India should not allow Aadhaar authentication or e-verification through OTP on Mobile and Email, as the illiterate people hand over the controls of their mobiles and emails to their nears and dears, who make fraudulent use of the OTP sent to mobiles and emails whereas the Aadhaar ID holder is not aware of it. This problem can be solved only by issuing Mobile SIMs based on Aadhaar authentication – but it is also not free from defects as illiterate people in India are influenced to get SIM in their names by using their biometrics and the procured SIMs are used by nears and dears with accountability only on the original person giving his or her biometrics. The government has started implementing the verification of SIMs through biometrics. Now the GOI should also make it mandatory to sell the Mobile Sets also through Aadhaar Biometric authentication and the mobile sets must remain in the disabled mode to use any other SIM. The Principle of One Mobile Set, One SIM Card, and One Aadhaar Card appears to be logical only if the SIMs can not be used on other handsets – registered to some other individual and vice versa.

Are PAN Numbers a reliable Proof of ID and Date of Birth?

Frankly speaking, Nobody should rely upon  PAN Cards as valid proof of Identity as there are numerous cases of the same PAN Number having been allotted to two different individuals and one individual holding multiple PAN Cards. Moreover, the Date of Birth on the PAN number is not inserted on the basis of one, and only one reliable document says Birth Certificate or Aadhaar Number. Unless and until the  GOI implements strict laws and does not provide so many options to individuals to submit a Driving License, Voter ID, etc., etc. for getting the Date of Birth inserted in their PAN, the DOB on PAN can not be relied upon. To cleanse the existing data let the GOI decide which one and only one ID is to be permitted to be relied upon for picking up the data like Name, Father’s Name, DOB, and Address on other ID are reflecting the correct data on the linked ID Proof like PAN or Driving License. Moreover, the GOI should dispense with issuing of ID Proofs in Physical Forms and each and every ID like PAN ID, VOTER ID, PASSPORT ID, and DRIVING LICENSE ETC should be on DIGITAL PLATFORMS as is the case with e-Aadhaar and every Individual should be able to download the rectified ID free of cost. Let the Government make these things possible by following the procedure detailed below:

1. Link Your PAN/Driving License/Passport/VOTER ID/STUDENT ID/EMPLOYEE ID/PRAN ID/Pension ID/or any other ID with your Aadhaar. In this link, the Government has enabled only PAN cards to be linked to Aadhaar.
2. The Government should provide a Utility on the UIADAI website with Drop-Down Menu to select the ID Type and all types of IDs being issued in India by Central Government/State Government/Schools, Colleges, and Universities/Hospitals/Prisons/Lunatic Centres/ and/or any other organization. The government of India must enact a law forbidding any institution to issue any ID Card without the permission of the Central Government and/or State Government and they shall issue only the Digital ID after getting permission and after the name of the ID issuing institution is available in the Drop Down Menu.
3. The ID-seeking individual must go for a biometric check-up either at the stage of issuing the ID or at the time of linking their VOTER-ID to Aadhaar

Are Other ID and Address Proofs like Voter ID, Passport, and Driving Licenses reliable Proof of ID, Address Proof, and Proof of Date of Birth?

The Same case applies to all other physical IDs being issued to residents in India. I have seen people keeping their Old Voter Card ( with the address of Station A) and revised Voter ID (with the Address of Station B) and using both Voter Ids at their sweet will whereas their Aadhaar ID will be showing an address with Station C.

Similar is the case with the Date of Birth as individuals can get the date of birth inserted through the Declaration and through the Verification Process in Aadhaar. A person known to me came with two physical Aadhaar IDs with the same Aadhaar Number and Address but with different Dates of Birth. I just asked how is it possible. He told me that he was 56 years old and his earlier issued Aadhaar bore the original date of birth according to which he was just about 56 years old. He approached the Aadhaar Enrollment Centre and got his DOB changed in such a way that he was now more than 60 years old to avail of the benefits available to senior citizens. He provided the revised/updated Aadhaar to the Bank to avail of interest @1% per annum extra as available to senior citizens. He is also availing the Concessional Railway/Air Fare on Indian Railways and Air India. What a planned fraud is being played on the exchequer with impunity – thanks to the unreliable multiple physical ID and Address Proofs in India.

The Government of India will be taking the right step if it orders the immediate destruction of all physical ID proofs and only Digital ID’s which can be downloaded anywhere, anytime by individuals through Aadhar-based biometric authentication showing the latest updated and synchronized details of the Individual. All major institutions like Banks, Insurance Companies, Hospitals, Colleges and Universities, Credit Information Bureau of India Ltd and other Credit Rating Agencies, Trading Account Platforms, and Public limited companies accepting deposits and issuing shares or debentures should be able to get their live data updated every minute based on any change in Aadhaar Data.

Corrective Steps to set the thing Right:

1. Data available on the Aadhaar ID is based on documents submitted by the individuals at the time of enrollment and the Aadhaar Card following data is available:

• Name
• Father’s/Husband’s Name
• Address
• Date of Birth
• Mobile Number
• Email ID

Name and Date of Birth: The name should be strictly entered either on the basis of a Matric Certificate to enable those who are born before the Registrar of Births and Deaths came into existence. For others, it should be entered on the basis of Birth Certificates and all data on the issuance of Birth and Deaths needs to be digitalized to rule out the possibility of fake birth certificates. Registration of Death should immediately block the Aadhaar ID and all other related digital IDs whose access should be permitted only to the legal heirs of the deceased person. One-time facility may be allowed to illiterate people to get their name and Date of Birth inserted on the basis of the most reliable document available to him/her and the update of Name Facility should be locked forever.

Father’s/Mother’s Name: Can be inserted by punching the Aadhaar Numbers of living or deceased parents. In the case of living parents, biometric authentication must be applied.

Mobile Number: It should also be inserted on the basis of the Mobile Set and SIM Card issued to the Individuals through Biometric Authentications. The government of India will do well to freeze all Mobile Sets, SIM cards and other IP Addresses based machines if those are not sold or registered through biometric Aadhar-based authentication.

Updated off Address in Aadhaar: If possible this should be got verified from Geo-Locations Longitude and Latitudes to be got verified by another Aadhaar Card Holder through his or her Aadhar-based authentication.

By following the procedures above we the residents of India can Make Aadhaar as one and only Reliable ID, Address, and DOB Proof in India and I am sure that one-day Aadhar will change the Destiny of India to build an India of My Dreams in 2047.