Ladakh residents' Aadhaar cards now reflect UT status, replacing J&K

The Union Territory administration of Ladakh has updated Aadhaar records to replace 'Jammu & Kashmir' with 'Ladakh', resolving a long-pending issue that caused significant hassles for residents since the region's reorganisation in 2019.

In a significant move to uphold the regional identity of the residents of Ladakh, the Union Territory administration has successfully updated Aadhaar records to reflect "Ladakh" replacing "Jammu & Kashmir" in the State field, following the intervention of Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Vinai Kumar Saxena.

Despite the formation of the Union Territory of Ladakh in 2019, after being carved out of Jammu and Kashmir, the Aadhar records of the people of Ladakh continued to reflect the erstwhile State name - J&K, instead of Ladakh - causing widespread concerns and hassles.

Addressing Citizen Hardship

According to a press release, the LG, taking a serious note of the prolonged pendency in this important matter, directed the UT Administration to resolve the issue at the earliest. Subsequently, the Administration took up the matter with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) at higher levels. This long-awaited correction has now been successfully implemented, ensuring that Ladakh's distinct regional identity is accurately represented in Aadhar, the release said.

The release said that the continued reflection of "Jammu and Kashmir" in Aadhaar records of Ladakh residents had been causing considerable inconvenience to the people. Residents were facing difficulty in using Aadhar as a valid document for identity and address, while availing various services, as the "State" field in Aadhar did not correspond to the post-reorganisation status of Ladakh. The issue not only created hardship for citizens but also affected the proper representation of the Union Territory in Aadhar-linked records and progress reports.

'A Matter of Identity and Convenience'

The Lt. Governor said the development would greatly benefit the residents of Ladakh by removing procedural hurdles and enabling seamless access to services. "Ensuring that the identity of Ladakh is accurately reflected in official records is not only an administrative necessity, but also a matter of the identity and convenience for our people. The successful resolution of this long-pending issue reflects the UT Administration's commitment to responsive governance, ease of living, and ensuring that the unique identity of Ladakh is properly represented across all official platforms," Saxena said.

Innovative Centralized Update Process

The release further added that to resolve the issue, the UT Administration, in coordination with UIDAI, devised an innovative mechanism to update the State field centrally. Instead of requiring each resident to individually visit Aadhar centres for correction, the updation of records was carried out on the basis of PIN codes specific to Ladakh. These PIN codes were verified in coordination with the Department of Posts and shared with UIDAI.

The release said this development has brought significant relief to the people of Ladakh, as they no longer need to visit Aadhar centres individually for updating their records. Residents can now easily download their updated e-Aadhaar from the official UIDAI portal, and those wishing to obtain a PVC Aadhaar card may order it online by paying a nominal fee, the release added. (ANI)

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