Aadhaar for unidentified bodies only after all other methods fail: Karnataka Police

The Karnataka Police have issued fresh guidelines directing investigating officers to exhaust all conventional and forensic methods of identification before seeking Aadhaar-based biometric data for unclaimed and unidentified dead bodies. The move aims to streamline investigations, protect privacy, and ensure that Aadhaar data is used only as a last resort.

The direction was issued by P. Harishekaran, Additional Director General of Police (Crime and Technical Services), on behalf of the State police chief. The guidelines form part of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) prepared by the Directorate of Forensic Sciences to standardise the process of identifying deceased persons whose identities are unknown.

According to the SOP, investigating officers must first check missing-person records and alert the District Missing Persons Unit or Missing Persons Squad. They must also send wireless messages across the country and circulate hue and cry notices with photographs through the Cri-MAC portal under CCTNS (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems). In addition, the police have been instructed to use facial recognition and fingerprint databases, DNA matching, and examine personal belongings and distinguishing marks.

Only if the identity remains unknown 72 hours after the recovery of the body may the investigating officer submit a detailed report to the jurisdictional Superintendent of Police (SP) or Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), explaining why Aadhaar-based identification is necessary. The SP or DCP must forward the request the same day to the State Police Nodal Officer, who must be at least of the rank of SP. After scrutiny under Section 33 of the Aadhaar Act, 2016, the nodal officer may forward the request with justification to the Joint Secretary (JS-I) in the Ministry of Home Affairs, who will take it up with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

The guidelines explicitly state that Aadhaar data cannot be accessed through bulk or exploratory searches. Every request must be case-specific, proportionate, and need-based. This is in line with the Supreme Court’s 2018 judgment that upheld the constitutional validity of Aadhaar but struck down certain provisions and emphasised that the data must not be misused.

Aadhaar, which is linked to an individual’s biometric and demographic data, has been a subject of privacy concerns. The Karnataka Police’s SOP acknowledges these concerns by ensuring that Aadhaar is used only when all other identification methods have failed. The procedural safeguards — including approval from senior officers and the central government — add an extra layer of scrutiny.

The SOP also focuses on better documentation and evidence preservation. It seeks to improve coordination between police and forensic agencies so that unidentified bodies are handled systematically. This is particularly important in a country where thousands of bodies go unclaimed each year, and delays in identification can hamper criminal investigations and delay the return of the deceased to their families.

Civil liberties activists have welcomed the emphasis on last-resort use but have called for strict monitoring of the process to ensure that the provisions are not circumvented. They note that the guidelines must be accompanied by robust data protection measures and accountability mechanisms.

The Karnataka Police’s directive is a significant step toward balancing the need for technology in law enforcement with the fundamental right to privacy. It sets a precedent for other states to follow, ensuring that even in tragic cases involving unidentified bodies, the dignity of the deceased and the rights of their families are respected.