The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has assured the Delhi High Court that the authority’s basic biometric information gathered under the Aadhaar Act would not be shared with anyone for any purpose.
UIDAI further said that it does not gather biometric information based on forensic technology, standards, or procedures.
Before its affidavit was submitted to the Delhi High Court, UIDAI noted that core biometric information is defined in Section 2(J) of the Aadhaar Act to mean a fingerprint, an iris scan, or any other biological property of an individual as may be determined by Regulations. As a result, there is a clear legal ban against sharing or exploiting core biometrics for any reason.
UIDAI also stated that, even if this were not the case, the authority does not collect biometric information, such as iris scans and fingerprints, using technologies, standards, or procedures suitable for forensic purposes, and thus using biometric data for random matching reasons may not be technologically feasible and would fall outside the scope of the Act.
The Aadhaar technology only allows for 1:1 biometric authentications, for which an individual’s Aadhaar number is required, they said, adding that the UIDAI does not collect biometric information, such as iris scans and fingerprints, based on technology, stands, or procedures suitable for forensic purposes.