Aadhaar settles long-pending identity issue of Ladakh residents
Ladakh residents will now have ‘Ladakh’ listed as their State in Aadhaar records, replacing the earlier ‘Jammu & Kashmir’ entry.
The change, which fulfils a long-standing public demand, was implemented following the intervention of Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.
Despite the formation of the Union Territory of Ladakh in 2019, after being carved out of Jammu & Kashmir, Aadhaar records of the people of Ladakh continued to reflect the erstwhile State name — J&K — instead of Ladakh, causing widespread concerns and hassles.
The Lieutenant Governor, taking a serious note of the prolonged pendency in this important matter, directed the UT Administration to resolve the issue at the earliest.
The Lieutenant Governor said that the development would greatly benefit Ladakh’s residents by removing procedural hurdles and enabling seamless access to services. “Ensuring that the identity of Ladakh is accurately reflected in official records is not only an administrative necessity but also a matter of identity and convenience for our people. The successful resolution of this long-pending issue reflects the UT Administration’s commitment to responsive governance, ease of living, and ensuring that the unique identity of Ladakh is properly represented across all official platforms,” Saxena said.
According to the spokesperson of the Lok Bhavan (Leh), the UT administration took up the matter with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) at higher levels. This long-awaited correction has now been successfully implemented, ensuring that Ladakh’s distinct regional identity is accurately represented in Aadhar.
The continued reflection of ‘Jammu & Kashmir’ in Aadhaar records of Ladakh residents has been causing considerable inconvenience to the people. Residents were facing difficulty using Aadhaar as a valid document for identity and address when availing various services, as the ‘State’ field in Aadhaar did not correspond to the post-reorganisation status of Ladakh.
The issue not only created hardship for citizens but also affected the proper representation of the Union Territory in Aadhar-linked records and progress reports.
According to the spokesperson of the Lok Bhavan, to resolve the issue, the UT Administration, in coordination with UIDAI, devised an innovative mechanism to centrally update the State field. Instead of requiring each resident to visit Aadhaar centres for corrections, the updation of records was carried out based on PIN codes specific to Ladakh. These PIN codes were verified in coordination with the Department of Posts and shared with UIDAI.
This development has brought significant relief to the people of Ladakh, as they no longer need to visit Aadhaar centres individually to update their records. Residents can now easily download their updated e-Aadhaar from the official UIDAI portal, and those wishing to obtain a PVC Aadhaar card may order it online by paying a nominal fee, the spokesperson added.
