Supreme Courts Says Aadhar Card is Not Valid for Age Verification

The Supreme Court on Thursday, while hearing a plea related to the death of a man in 2015, ordered that an Aadhar card is not valid proof of age verification. It set aside the order made by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. 

Back in 2015, a man died in an accident, and the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal granted a compensation of Rs. 19 lakhs. However, the Punjab and Haryana High Court believed that the tribunal made an error in the age value, resulting in a higher compensation. The high court reduced the compensation to Rs. 9 lakhs, and the relatives of the deceased man, unhappy, moved to the Supreme Court.

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The Supreme Court, benched by Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, heard their plea and announced their order. In their order, they cited a circular from the Unique Identification Authority of India in 2023, which clearly states that an Aadhar card is meant to be used for identity verification and age. They said the family's presentation of the School Leave Certificate is a valid proof of age. 

The Apex Court has granted compensation of Rs. 15 lakhs to the deceased man's family. They also emphasised that in situations like this, documents like school leaving certificates should be prioritised over Aadhar cards for age verification.