The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has removed more than 20 million Aadhaar numbers linked to people who have passed away. This is part of a national clean-up effort to keep the Aadhaar database accurate and to stop identity fraud, the government said on Wednesday (26 November).

According to UIDAI, clearing out inactive Aadhaar numbers also helps make sure that welfare benefits reach the correct people and are not used by anyone pretending to be someone who is no longer alive.

To identify Aadhaar numbers of deceased individuals, UIDAI gathered information from the Registrar General of India (RGI), state and union territory governments, and various central ministries and departments.

The authority said it also plans to work with banks, financial institutions, and other agencies in the future to access verified records of deceased persons.

UIDAI clarified that Aadhaar numbers are never reused or given to another person. The deactivation process is simply meant to prevent the misuse of identities in welfare schemes or fraudulent activities.

UIDAI explained in its press release that earlier this year, it launched an online feature for families to report the death of a loved one through the myAadhaar portal.

The facility is available in 25 states and Union Territories, which are connected through the Civil Registration System. Work is still going on to add the remaining states to the system.

To report a death, a family member must first verify their own identity. Then they must enter the deceased person's Aadhaar number, Death Registration Number, and basic details on the portal. UIDAI will deactivate the Aadhaar after checking and confirming the information.

UIDAI’s effort to remove Aadhaar numbers of deceased individuals started in 2024 and was scaled up through 2025.

By mid-July this year, the authority had already deactivated over 11.7 millionAadhaar numbers. The number reached around 14 million by September, and has now crossed 20 million as UIDAI works toward its year-end target.

The clean-up drive, UIDAI said, is part of its ongoing work to keep the national identity system accurate and secure.