New Delhi: In a significant move, the Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO), under the Ministry of Labour and Employment in the Government of India, has announced a change in its documentation procedures, discontinuing the acceptance of Aadhaar cards as valid proof of date of birth.
The decision, outlined in a circular (No: WSU/2024/1/UIDAI Matter/4090), comes with the approval of the Central Provident Fund Commissioner (CPFC) and is in alignment with a directive from the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). The UIDAI, in its Circular No. 08 of 2023, emphasized that Aadhaar, while serving as a unique identifier, does not constitute proof of date of birth as per the Aadhaar Act, 2016.
The EPFO's circular specifies that the exclusion of Aadhaar is specific to Table-B of Annexure-1 of the Joint Declaration SOP issued earlier. The Internal System Division (ISD) of the EPFO will implement the necessary changes through its application software, with instructions for all zonal and regional offices to ensure widespread adherence to the updated guidelines.
Recent judicial judgments, including those from the Bombay High Court, have supported the stance that Aadhaar cannot be considered proof of date of birth. To facilitate the transition, the EPFO has provided a list of alternative documents that will be accepted as proof of date of birth. Among the acceptable documents are the Birth Certificate issued by the Registrar of Births and Deaths, Marksheets from recognized Government Boards or Universities, School Leaving Certificate (SLC)/School Transfer Certificate (TC)/SSC certificate containing Name and Date of Birth, Certificate based on service records, PAN card, Central/State Pension Payment Order, Domicile Certificate issued by the Government, and a Medical certificate issued by a Civil Surgeon, supported by an affidavit duly authenticated by a competent court.
This move aims to streamline the documentation process and ensure compliance with UIDAI directives. EPFO beneficiaries are urged to familiarize themselves with the updated guidelines and provide the required documents for seamless processing of their provident fund-related matters. /BI/
