In a significant privacy ruling, the Karnataka High Court has declared that a deceased person's fingerprint cannot be used to establish identity through the Aadhaar database. This decision came during a case involving Bengaluru Police's attempt to use fingerprint authentication for identifying a dead individual.
Court's Stand on Post-Mortem Aadhaar Authentication
The court delivered this landmark judgment on November 18, 2025, emphasizing the limitations of Aadhaar authentication for deceased individuals. The bench clearly stated that the unique identification system cannot be utilized to prove the identity of dead persons through their biometric data.
This ruling addresses a crucial gap in the legal framework surrounding Aadhaar usage and establishes important precedents for both privacy rights and criminal investigations.
Police Argument and Investigation Needs
The Bengaluru Police had contended that identifying deceased individuals was essential for progressing with their investigations. They argued that proper identification would be the only basis for further investigation and reporting in cases of this nature.
Law enforcement authorities maintained that accessing such information through Aadhaar authentication was necessary for establishing the identity of unknown deceased persons found in various circumstances, including accidents, homicides, or natural deaths.
Implications for Law Enforcement and Privacy
This judgment creates significant implications for how police investigations will proceed in cases involving unidentified deceased persons. Law enforcement agencies will now need to rely on alternative methods for establishing identity, such as:
- Traditional forensic methods
- DNA testing
- Dental records
- Physical description matching
- Document verification
The court's decision reinforces the principle that Aadhaar authentication is strictly for establishing the identity of living individuals and cannot be extended beyond its intended purpose, even for legitimate investigative needs.
This ruling also strengthens the privacy protections surrounding Aadhaar data and ensures that biometric information cannot be misused after a person's death. The court has effectively drawn a clear boundary between legitimate investigative procedures and the fundamental right to privacy.
Legal experts suggest this decision will have nationwide implications, setting a precedent for how courts across India handle similar requests for post-mortem Aadhaar authentication in future cases.
