The Aadhaar Paradox: Privacy Vulnerabilities And Marginalization In India’s Aadhaar System
- IJLLR Journal
- Apr 21
- 1 min read
Angelia Sajeev, BBA LLB, Christ (Deemed to be) University Delhi NCR
ABSTRACT
This panoramic research examines the IRD system and India's Aadhaar system, the complexities of a large-scale biometric identification system and analyzing its legal, social and technical dimensions. It accentuates on the tension between state efficiency and individual privacy, notably through the landmark Puttaswamy judgment which asserted privacy as a fundamental right. The multistate modals reveals a lack of Equality in Aadhaar's accessibility and effectiveness across demographics, stressing its role in enabling welfare access for rural and marginalized groups while criticizing exclusion risks in systems like the Aadhaar-linked Public Distribution System (PDS).
The research assesses economic benefits, including diminished leakage in welfare schemes, but accentuating social costs such as heightened surveillance concerns and potential marginalization of vulnerable populations. It investigates private-sector biometric integration, probing commercialization’s impact on data protection and y rights. Comparative analysis with Pakistan's NADRA and Turkey's DP Act and the EU's GDPR framework identifies cross-border lessons, emphasizing the need for decentralized security, robust oversight and inclusive design.
Though Aadhaar demonstrates revolutionary potential in governance and service delivery, it still depends on addressing technical vulnerabilities and ensuring equal access and embedding privacy-by-design principles. The study concludes that ethical arrangement and placement of biometric technologies demands proactive legal frameworks, collusive policymaking, and continuous evaluation of societal impacts to uphold rights in an increasingly digitized world.
Keywords: Aadhaar, biometric identification, privacy rights, digital identity, social inclusion, data protection, Puttaswamy judgment, welfare distribution, authentication security, legal framework
