Overview
- The rule operationalises Section 8A by formalising Offline Verification Seeking Entities, requiring hotels, housing societies and event organisers to register for electronic Aadhaar checks.
- Registered entities will use QR scans, app-to-app flows and UIDAI APIs instead of collecting photocopies, reducing storage risks and avoiding constant calls to the central database.
- UIDAI is beta-testing a new Aadhaar app that enables selective data sharing and supports tasks such as address updates and adding family members without mobile phones.
- Officials say the shift aligns verification practices with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, with full implementation of the privacy law still months away.
- UIDAI says electronic verification remains voluntary but regulated, as researchers caution that retention rules, accessibility and oversight must be clarified to prevent exclusion and misuse.