Paper printed Aadhaar card is "Perfectly Valid" as original: UIDAI

In order to protect citizens from falling prey to agencies printing plastic Aadhaar cards, UIDAI on Monday cautioned against unscrupulous entities charging anywhere between Rs 50 to Rs 200 for a plastic Aadhaar card and said that printed Aadhaar card is perfectly valid for all uses, according to PTI report. 

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) also emphasised that paper printed Aadhaar is "perfectly valid" and there is no concept such as smart or plastic card, it said. 

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"UIDAI has cautioned unauthorised agencies not to collect Aadhaar information from general public for printing of Aadhaar card as collecting such information or unauthorised printing of Aadhaar card or aiding such persons in any manner amounts to a criminal offence punishable with imprisonment under Indian Penal Code and, also, Chapter VI of The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016," the report said quoting UIDAI, as saying in its statement. 

According to the report, the Aadhaar card or the downloaded Aadhaar card printed on ordinary paper is perfectly valid for all uses. 

"If a person has a paper Aadhaar card, there is absolutely no need to get his/her Aadhaar card laminated or obtain a plastic Aadhaar card or so called SMART Aadhaar card by paying money. There is no concept such as smart or plastic Aadhaar card," PTI reported quoting UIDAI chief executive officer Ajay Bhushan Pandey, as saying in a statement.

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