Leh Apr 11: In a major step addressing a long‑standing public demand, residents of Ladakh can now see their rightful identity reflected in Aadhaar records, with “Ladakh” replacing “Jammu & Kashmir” in the State field, following intervention by Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.
Despite the creation of the Union Territory of Ladakh in 2019, Aadhaar records of Ladakh residents had continued to show “Jammu & Kashmir”, causing repeated hassles and doubts about the validity of the document for identity and address. Saxena took serious note of the prolonged delay and directed the UT Administration to resolve the issue at the earliest, initiating talks with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) at the highest level.
The UT Administration and UIDAI devised an innovative PIN‑code‑based mechanism to update the State field centrally, instead of forcing every resident to visit Aadhaar centres. Verified PIN codes specific to Ladakh were coordinated with the Department of Posts and then used by UIDAI for bulk correction. This has brought significant relief, as residents can now simply download updated e‑Aadhaar from the official portal or order a PVC Aadhaar card online by paying a nominal fee.
The Lieutenant Governor said the move would remove procedural hurdles, ease service access and properly reflect Ladakh’s distinct regional identity in official records. “Ensuring that the identity of Ladakh is accurately reflected in official records is not only an administrative necessity, but also a matter of identity and convenience for our people,” Saxena said, calling the resolution a sign of responsive governance and improved ease of living in the Union Territory.
