EPFO not to consider Aadhaar as valid DOB document

Srinagar, Jan 19: The Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) has informed that Aadhaar will be no more valid as date of birth (DOB) proof, and excluded it from the list of acceptable documents for establishing the date of birth proof.

The EPFO communicated this information on Jan 16, through circular no. WSU/2024/1/UIDAI Matter/4090 and comes in adherence to a directive from the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), as outlined in Circular No. 08 of 2023.

Previously, various e-KYC User Agencies and Aadhaar authentication agencies acknowledged Aadhaar card or e-Aadhaar as a suitable document for verifying the date of birth.

However, the UIDAI has clarified that while Aadhaar serves as unique identification proof, it does not qualify as evidence of date of birth under the provisions of the Aadhaar Act, 2016.

The circular stressed that this decision aligns with the directives of Table-B of Annexure-1 of the Joint Declaration SOP issued earlier.

The decision received approval from the Central Provident Fund Commissioner (CPFC).

UIDAI's circular referenced the Aadhaar Act of 2016 and the corresponding regulations governing the enrolment and update procedures, explicitly stating that Aadhaar cannot be considered valid proof of date of birth.

This aligns with the stance presented in the office memorandum issued on December 20, 2018, reiterating that Aadhaar is not proof of date of birth. Recent judicial decisions, including one from the Bombay High Court on July 28, 2023, have underscored this interpretation.

As per a circular issued by EPFO in 2020, in case of a dispute in the date of birth, any of the following documents may be accepted as valid proof of date of birth which include Birth Certificate is issued by the Registrar of Births and Deaths; Any school/education related certificate; Certificate based on the service records of the Central/State Government Organisations; Passport; Other reliable document issued by a government department; and In the absence of proof of date of birth as above, a Medical Certificate issued by a Civil Surgeon after examining the member medically and supported with an affidavit on oath by the member duly authenticated by a Competent Court.

This move by EPFO aims to ensure adherence to the legal framework and follows a series of legal pronouncements emphasising that Aadhaar cannot serve as proof of date of birth.

According to the circular the employers and employees have been urged to take note of changes to avoid any discrepancies in the documentation process.