Since the day they received their Aadhaar, people have been wondering if it is necessary or not. There is a lot of ambiguity, and Indian courts have rendered numerous decisions both in favor of and against requiring Aadhar in order to access numerous services and subsidies. Identity verification is now required in numerous situations, including when booking a hotel, flight, or train. The Aadhar card has recently gained significant relevance due to the biometric and demographic information even though there are many other options for proving your identity.
Similar to a passport or PAN, Aadhar is now accepted as proof of identity by all public and private organizations, banks, travel agencies, schools, and other institutions. It serves as both residence and identification proof.
But the main question on everyone’s mind is whether an Aadhar card is necessary to apply for a gas connection, an ITR, an EPF claim, a ration card, a passport, or a PAN card.
Government Statement
The Indian Supreme Court has ruled unequivocally that the government of India cannot make the Aadhar card mandatory as of right now. Aadhaar cards may be required in specific circumstances, such as when opening a bank account, filing an IT return, verifying a mobile number, or applying for a PAN number.
In order to prevent corruption and waste of funds, Aadhar is now required for the majority of government programs following numerous judicial challenges. Today, recipients of a variety of government programs are required to provide their Aadhar number in order to verify their eligibility. The majority of benefits are paid straight into recipients’ bank accounts that are connected to their Aadhar cards.
Aadhar numbers have been issued to roughly 1.12 billion people out of India’s 135 crore population. This indicates that even though having an Aadhar card has become crucial for establishing your identity, not everyone has received one. For picture identity or address verification in place of an Aadhar card, they may still utilize a PAN card, driver’s license, or passport.
Reasons to Apply for an Aadhaar Card
- It is a single document that can serve as confirmation of identity, age, and address, and it is a generally accepted form of identification.
- If you want to receive direct benefits under the DBT scheme, a connection or reservation for LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) is required.
- For several admissions applications, including NEET and university admissions, Aadhar is a must.
- For PDS schemes to be eligible for ration and kerosene subsidies, Aadhaar is a must.
- Pensioners must have an Aadhaar.
- For cellphone and internet connections, an Aadhar is required.
- The use of an Aadhar card is now required for death registration. The UIDAI would be assisted in deactivating the Aadhaar and preventing its abuse.
- Making the Aadhar card necessary for EPF transfers, withdrawals, and other uses.
- Applications or renewals for passports now require an Aadhar card.
- Additionally, it is required for NRIs or their bank accounts.
- Currently, providing an Aadhaar as identification documentation is optional but not required for marriage registration.
A Safe and Secure Card
Due to the UID number being exclusive to India, the Aadhar card receives a lot of applications and is widely accepted. Additionally, since this is a biometric document activated with your finger prints, it is completely unique. Only equipment and technical systems that are compatible with this document can detect and read it.
Therefore, if you haven’t already, you should apply for an Aadhar card right away given the variety of uses and benefits it offers. This is beneficial for your protection and identity as well as for facilitating the quick and effective processing of numerous applications.
