After initial reports of Aadhaar being made mandatory for registration of death the government has now clarified that it is not mandatory for the death certificates.

However, the Home Ministry has encouraged the usage of Aadhaar to register deaths for the prevention of "identity fraud", even as the debate about Aadhaar compromising the identity of citizens continues.

The office of the Registrar General, which functions under the home ministry, said the use of Aadhaar will result in ensuring accuracy of the details provided by the relatives or dependents or acquaintances of the deceased.

The home ministry had said on Friday that the rule would be applicable for the residents of all states except Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and Meghalaya, for which a date would be notified separately.

"It will provide an effective method to prevent identity fraud. It will also help in recording the identity of the deceased person. Further, it will obviate the need for producing multiple documents to prove the identity of the deceased person," it said.