UIDAI admits 34 lakh ‘dead’ Aadhaar holders in West Bengal
Massive data mismatch exposes flaws in India’s voter rolls, Aadhaar system
Kolkata: In a startling revelation, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has informed the Election Commission of India (ECI) that over 34 lakh Aadhaar card holders in West Bengal have been found to be ‘deceased’ since the national identity system was introduced in 2009, exposing massive discrepancies in India’s voter rolls and biometric identification database.
According to Kashmir Media Service, UIDAI authorities shared the data during a meeting with the state’s Chief Electoral Officer, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The data also revealed that around 13 lakh people in the state who never possessed Aadhaar cards have died since the scheme’s inception.
The disclosure comes as the Election Commission faces mounting complaints about ghost voters, duplicate entries, and absentee voters in multiple Indian states. A senior official from the CEO’s office said that the UIDAI’s database on deceased citizens would help in identifying and removing fake and duplicate entries from electoral rolls.
Officials said that the EC has directed all state CEOs to coordinate with UIDAI and banks to verify voter data and cross-check identity details. Banks have also been asked to share information about accounts where Know Your Customer (KYC) updates have not been completed for years — a move aimed at identifying deceased account holders whose names continue to appear on active voter lists.
Analysts say the revelation raises serious questions about the credibility of India’s much-hyped digital identity system and the reliability of its electoral records, both of which have long been criticized for inconsistencies and lack of transparency.
