The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has withdrawn a press release dated May 27 that cautioned Aadhar card holders to only share the masked Aadhaar with only the last four numbers and to avoid sharing photocopies of Aadhaar cards.
The latest press release issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on Sunday (May 29) states that,
"..in view of the possibility of the misinterpretation of the Press Release, the same stands withdrawn with immediate effect."
The new press release also states that,
"UIDAI issued Aadhaar card holders are only advised to exercise normal prudence in using and sharing their UIDAI Aadhaar numbers."
It further states that,
"Aadhaar Identity Authentication ecosystem has provided adequate features for protecting and safeguarding the identity and privacy of the Aadhaar holder."
The May 27 press release, according to the Ministry, was published in the context of an attempt to misuse a photoshopped Aadhaar card. In the press release, the Central Government stated that,
"Do not share a photocopy of your Aadhar with any organisation as it can be misused. Alternatively, please use a masked Aadhar which displays only the last four digits of your Aadhar number."
