HYDERABAD, April 18, 2016
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
The downloaded version of Aadhaar on an ordinary paper is perfectly valid, and there is no need to laminate it, as is being done by some unscrupulous entities charging anywhere between Rs. 50 to Rs. 500 for printing the smart card.
The officials of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) have cautioned people not to share their Aadhaar number or personal details to unauthorised agencies for getting it laminated or printed on a plastic card. In a statement, the UIDAI officials said that possessing a paper Aadhaar card is absolutely fine for its usage. “There is no concept such as smart Aadhaar card,” said director general and mission director of UIDAI Dr. Ajay Bhushan Pandey.
Any person who loses Aadhaar card can download the same free of cost from ‘https://eaadhaar.uidai.gov.in/’ and take the printout of the downloaded Aadhaar, even in black and white, is as valid as the original Aadhaar letter sent by UIDAI.
Those who prefer to get their Aadhaar card laminated or printed on plastic card may do so only at authorised common service centres or Aadhaar permanent enrolment centres by paying not more than Rs. 30.
E-commerce companies such e-bay, Flipkart, Amazon and others have also been informed not to allow their merchants to collect Aadhaar information from the general public as collecting such information or unauthorised printing may amount to a criminal offence, the statement said.
UIDAI asks people not to share Aadhaar number with unauthorised agencies