Dead person’s fingerprint can’t be matched with Aadhaar database to prove identity: Karnataka High Court

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by the Bengaluru city Police seeking permission to establish the identity of a deceased woman by matching her fingerprints with the data available with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). “A live fingerprint is required for authentication as such a dead person’s fingerprint cannot be directed to be identified through a search on the UIDAI database,” Justice Suraj Govindaraj said, adding that there are technical constraints in matching fingerprint with the Aadhar number and the requirement to maintain privacy of individuals and security concerns.

The matter pertains to a case registered with the Byatarayanapura police station in 2023. The police had recovered the body of a woman, aged between 25 and 30 years, in Vrushabhavathi Rajakaluve. After the investigation could not establish the identity of the woman, the police sent a requisition to the UIDAI in January-February 2024, seeking assistance in matching the dead woman’s fingerprints with the Aadhar data. The police moved the court after the UIDAI turned down the request stating that no details under the Aadhar Act could be disclosed without a High Court order, as mandated under Section 33 of the Aadhar Act.

The police contended that the identification of an individual/deceased would be the only basis for further investigation and report in an offence of this nature and therefore, the disclosure of information is essential.

On the other hand, Deputy Solicitor General Shanthi Bhushan H, representing UIDAI and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, submitted that the person must be alive when the fingerprint is used for the purpose of identification. It was further contended that a fingerprint cannot be used to search on the database to identify the corresponding Aadhar number and Aadhar number cannot be used for the purpose of identifying the corresponding fingerprint, adding that the identification could be done only when both are available.

Considering these submissions, Justice Suraj Govindaraj dismissed the petition, reserving liberty to the police to ascertain the identity of the deceased woman through any other manner which may be possible and in case any Aadhar card is available the authorities are directed to furnish details of usage thereof.