In a reply to a Right to Information (RTI) query filed by India Today TV, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) said that only 1.15 crore Aadhaar numbers have been deactivated since the inception of the scheme 14 years ago. It has raised serious questions over identity management in the country.
As per the report, there are 142.39 crore Aadhaar holders recorded as of June 2025. The number of deactivated Aadhaar cards seems shockingly low when compared to this figure, especially when placed against the backdrop of average annual deaths of 83.5 lakh between 2007 and 2019, as per Civil Registration System data.
The UIDAI has admitted that Aadhaar deactivation is a cumbersome process, as it is largely dependent on death certificates and updates from families. The authorities also confirmed it does not maintain separate records of Aadhaar holders who may have died, leaving active numbers in circulation.
The RTI reply has triggered concerns over possible misuse of these identities in welfare schemes and subsidies.
