6.5 yrs after bifurcation, J&K removed from Aadhaar records of Ladakh residents

SRINAGAR: Even after six years after the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, the Aadhaar records of the people of Ladakh continued to reflect J&K instead of Ladakh.

This has finally changed now. Residents of Ladakh can now see their identity reflected in Aadhaar records, with ‘Ladakh’ replacing ‘Jammu & Kashmir’ in the ‘State’ field. The long-pending public demand was addressed after the intervention of Ladakh LG, Vinai Kumar Saxena, who directed the UT administration to resolve the issue at the earliest.

Subsequently, the administration took up the matter with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). The long-awaited correction has now been successfully implemented.

According to officials, the incorrect representation in Aadhaar records had been causing considerable inconvenience to the people of Ladakh. They were facing difficulty in using Aadhaar as a valid document for identity and address while availing various services, besides facing issues related to Aadhaar-linked records and progress reports.

To resolve the issue, the UT administration, in coordination with UIDAI, devised a mechanism to update the ‘State’ field centrally. Instead of requiring each resident to individually visit Aadhaar centres for correction, the records were updated on the basis of PIN codes specific to Ladakh. These PIN codes were verified in coordination with the Department of Posts and shared with UIDAI.

Officials said residents can now easily download their updated e-Aadhaar from the UIDAI portal, and those wishing to obtain a PVC Aadhaar card may order it online by paying a nominal fee.

In a statement, LG Saxena said the development would greatly benefit the residents of Ladakh by removing procedural hurdles and enabling seamless access to services. “Ensuring that the identity of Ladakh is accurately reflected in official records is not only an administrative necessity, but also a matter of the identity and convenience for our people,” he said.