Aadhaar operator under scanner in Hisar over alleged biometric misuse

The Hisar district administration has detected a suspected case involving the alleged use of a “rubber thumb impression” during Aadhaar authentication procedures, raising concerns over possible unauthorised access to the system.

According to officials, the authorised operator’s biometric login was allegedly being misused by unauthorised persons to access the Aadhaar enrolment system.

Acting on a complaint, the district administration wrote to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) regarding the matter. Subsequently, UIDAI’s Regional Office in Chandigarh directed the district authorities to conduct a detailed inquiry and initiate legal action if any wrongdoing is established.

As per an official communication sent by the Additional Deputy Commissioner to the Deputy Director General, UIDAI, Chandigarh, the complaint alleged that a Zonal Citizens Resource Information Manager (ZCRIM), functioning as an Aadhaar operator, may have misused the biometric authentication mechanism.

The ZCRIM is an employee of the Citizen Resource Information Department (CRID), which manages citizen welfare data, Family ID services and verification-related work at the district level.

“The operator allegedly used a ‘Rubber Thumb Impression’ instead of the operator’s ‘actual biometric (Thumb Impression)’ during Operator Confirmation on the Aadhaar Enrolment Client Multiple Platform,” the letter stated.

The complaint further alleged that the Aadhaar machine was being operated from an unauthorised private location rather than from approved premises, raising the possibility of unauthorised activities being carried out through the system.

Seeking clarification, the Additional Deputy Commissioner asked the district authorities to verify whether the use of a rubber thumb impression on the Aadhaar machine was technically possible and whether such misuse had occurred in the present case.

Taking serious note of the allegations, the UIDAI regional office directed the district administration to probe the matter and proceed under the law if violations are confirmed, describing it as a serious issue involving a potential breach of privacy.