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Road Transport and Highways Ministry says states can use other listed document such as voter ID or passport as identity proof.

New Delhi: The Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry has decided against using Aadhaar as ID proof for driving licence applicants till the government brings a law making it mandatory, sources told ThePrint.

The decision comes in light of last year’s Supreme Court order, which restricted the scope of services where the 12-digit unique ID could be mandatorily sought.

It was reported earlier that the Narendra Modi government was aiming to bring a law to link driving licences with Aadhaar to check duplication and weed out fakes.

Talking about the decision to put the move on hold, a senior ministry official told ThePrint, “The Supreme Court ruling has clearly said that authentication using Aadhaar can only be done for welfare schemes. We will agree to it only when the government brings in a law making it mandatory to link Aadhaar with driving license,” the official said.

Before the apex court’s ruling last September, as Aadhaar was increasingly sought as a mandatory requirement even by private players for bank accounts and use of digital wallets, states had begun asking driving licence applicants to furnish the ID as proof of address and age. However, after the judgment, the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry directed states not to do so.

“They can use any other listed document like voter ID, passport, etc. as identity proof,” said a second ministry official.

Also read: What the Aadhaar Amendment Bill fails to address

A uniform pan-India licence

Senior ministry officials familiar with the matter said they were currently finalising a uniform standard for driving licence and registration certificates, with June as their deadline.

Once notified, all states will have to issue driving licences that conform to this standard.

Currently, the design and format of driving licences vary from state to state, and the ministry has been thinking of standardising the format for a while now. “We decided that there has to be uniformity in driving licences and registration certificates across India,” the second ministry official said.

Among other features, the new driving licence will have a QR code allowing law enforcement agencies to access the driver’s details. Besides basic details like his name, address, blood group etc, the new licence will also show if the driver has consented to donate their organs. The latter detail is helpful for medical professionals dealing with accidents involving fatalities.

Also read: Aadhaar now valid travel document for under-15 & over-65 Indians travelling to Nepal & Bhutan

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