Public should not go for plastic or laminated Aadhaar smart cards. The Unique Identification Authority of India has alarmed the bell as such unauthorised printing could render existing QR code dysfunctional. It can also expose individual’s personal data without any sort of his/her consent. UIDAI also stated that Aadhaar letter, available cutaway portion of it and downloaded versions of Aadhaar printed on an ordinary paper are perfectly valid. mAadhaar is also safe and valid. Moreover, such card printing of your Aadhaar will cost you between Rs 50 to Rs 300 which is a completely unnecessary payment.
UIDAI said in a statement, “Such PVC Aadhaar smart cards are also often not useful because the existing Quick Response Code usually becomes dysfunctional during unauthorized printing at the shop. Also, there are huge chances of exposing your personal sensitive demographic information alias Aadhaar details with some devious elements.”
UIDAI CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey said such plastic card form of Aadhaar is waste and unnecessary because the downloaded Aadhaar card printed on a white paper or mAadhaar is valid as well as sufficient for all types of uses. He further added that there is no concept of smart or plastic Aadhaar card. Advising public, Pandey urged not to share their Aadhaar number or other personal details with unauthorized agencies for having laminated or plastic card form of Aadhaar. Be cautious about sharing your Aadhaar number.
The Unique Identification Authority of India has also cautioned existing shops and agencies, not to collect Aadhaar related information from public or printing of cards in plastic or laminated forms. Collecting such information without authorized reasons will be considered as a criminal offence and it will be punishable with imprisonment under law.