Demographic details and supporting documents of an individual's Aadhaar records are personal information protected under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act and the confidentiality provisions of the Aadhaar Act, 2016, and cannot be disclosed to a third party without a court order.

Relevant dates emerging from the appeal(s):

The instant set of appeals have been clubbed for decision as these relate to similar RTI Applications and same subject matter.

Date of Hearing: 18.05.2026

Date of Decision: 21.05.2026

CORAM:

Hon’ble Commissioner

Shri P R Ramesh

O R D E R

Second Appeal No. CIC/UIDAI/A/2025/607007

1. The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 22.04.2024 seeking information on the following points:

1. Name of Document uploaded for updation of relationship status for Adhar no. xxxx0895821 by Swati Thakur i.e. my husband (Nitin Yadav) name replacing her father(Jagannath Singh) name.

2. Certified copy of Document uploaded for updation of relationship status for Adhar no. xxxx895821 by Swati Thakur i.e. my husband (Nitin Yadav) replacing her father(Jagannath Singh) name.

3. Demographic details of QR code decoding showing C/o-D/o or W/o of previous and updated adhar by Swati Thakur

1.1. The CPIO replied vide letter dated 15.05.2024 and the same is reproduced as under :-

आपको सूिचत िकया जाता हैिक, आपके ारा िकसी अ के आधार से संिधत जानकारी चाही गयी हैजो की आधार अिधिनयम, 2016 िक धारा 28 व 29 एवं धारा 33 के अनुसार (िवीय और अ सहाियिकयों, मुिवधाओंऔर सेवाओंका लत परदान) आधार कायम के तहत नामांिकत का जनसांकीय और बॉयोमीिटक डेटा बॉयोमीिटक डेटा कृ ित मगोपनीय है, इसिलए इसेदान नहीं िकया जा सकता है। है। तथा सूचना का अिधकार अिधिनयम 2005 की धारा 8(1) (जे) के अनुसार जनसांकीय और बायोमेिटक डाटा (िनवासी का गत डाटा) की गोपनीय कृ ित को ान मरखतेए के वल िनवासी िजससेडाटा संबंिधत हैसूचना मांग सकता है। कोई अ आवेदक यह सूचना नहींमांग सकता है। िकसी अ ाथ को तीसरी िकसी पाट या िकसी अ िनवासी सेसंबंिधत िकसी गत सूचना को नहीं िदया जाएगा तािक आधार कायम के तहत नामांिकत िनवासी की िनजता सुरित और गोपनीय बनी रहे। इसकी जानकारी ािधकरण की वेबसाइट िलंक : https://uidai.gov.in/about-uidai/right-to-information.html पर भी उपल है।

Further, as per Section 33(1) of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 as amended by the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Act 2019 dated 24/07/2019, any disclosure of information (other than core biometric information), including identity information or authentication records can be made pursuant to an order of a court not inferior to that of a Judge of a High Court after giving opportunity of hearing to both UIDAI and the concerned Aadhaar number holder.

Also, the Supreme Court vide its Judgement dated 26/09/2018 in WP (C) 494 of 2012 and connected cases had clarified that an individual, whose information is sought to be released, shall be afforded an opportunity of hearing. If such an order is passed, in that eventuality, he shall also have right to challenge such an order passed by approaching the higher court. During the hearing before the concerned court, the said individual can always object to the disclosure of information on accepted grounds in law, including Article 20(3) of the Constitution or the privacy rights etc.

1.2. Dissatisfied with the response received from the CPIO, the Appellant filed a First Appeal dated 11.06.2024 alleging that the information provided was incomplete, false and misleading. The FAA vide order dated 18.06.2024 observed as under.

2. ाथ ारा पूवमकेीय जनसूचना अिधकारी से माँगी गई सूचना एवं ािधकरण के केीय जनसूचना अिधकारी ारा उे िदए गए जवाब के अवलोकन से यह तीत होता है िक, केीय जनसूचना अिधकारी ारा िदया गया जवाब आर. टी. आई. अिधिनयम, 2005 के िनयमों के अनुप है। अतः थम अपीलीय अिधकारी इस