If you are stuck in such a situation, here is what to do.

Mr. Rohan Mehra, a student from the city of Suryanagar, found himself in a very frustrating situation. He had applied for a Date of Birth (DOB) correction on his Aadhaar card, a crucial requirement for his admission process at the prestigious Apex Institute of Management. He completed the process at a designated enrollment center two months ago but his application status remains “under process.” With the university’s deadline for registration on their Student Information System (SIS) fast approaching, Rohan’s anxiety grew. He tried every available channel for resolution – he filed a grievance on the government’s public grievance portal, sent multiple emails to the authorities, and spent hours trying to get a clear answer from the 1947 helpline, all to no avail. Feeling cornered, he began to wonder if he should just re-apply for the update, hoping a new application might get processed faster.

Advice in such cases

Dealing with administrative delays from a large authority like UIDAI can be daunting. Here are some structured steps you can take:

• Preserve All Documentation: Keep the original update acknowledgement slip containing the Update Request Number (URN) safe. This is your primary proof of application. Also, keep records of all communications, including grievance portal reference numbers, emails, and notes from calls to the helpline.
• Follow the Escalation Matrix: If the general helpline and portal are not yielding results, find the contact details for the UIDAI Regional Office that has jurisdiction over your state. Escalate your complaint to them directly, providing your URN and grievance numbers.
• Do Not Re-apply Prematurely: Submitting a new application while one is already in process can sometimes create further complications or lead to the rejection of both applications. It is generally advisable to see the first application through to its conclusion.
• Consult with Lawyer: The very basic and important step to start is talk to Lawyer / advocate. You should not hesitate in paying his consultation fee i.e. might be in range of Rs. 10,000 to 50,000 depends case to case. He is helping you in this situation of come out. He is expert in the domain and can help you explain the procedure which you might have never explored. A good lawyer can get the issues resolved much faster than you think.

Applicable Sections of Law

This issue is primarily governed by administrative law and the specific statute creating the authority in question.

• The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016: This Act establishes the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and empowers it to issue Aadhaar numbers and perform authentication. The Act and the regulations made under it lay down the procedures for enrollment and updating of data. While the Act doesn’t specify a penalty for delays, it establishes UIDAI as the responsible authority.
• Writ Jurisdiction of High Courts (Article 226 of the Constitution): When a public authority fails to perform its statutory duty (in this case, processing an update request within a reasonable time), an aggrieved person has the right to approach the High Court. A writ of Mandamus can be filed to seek a court order compelling UIDAI to take a decision on the pending application. This is a powerful legal remedy for administrative inaction.

If you are the complainant

If you are the one facing the delay, you are the complainant in this administrative process. Your goal is to get the authority to act.

• Organize Your File: Create a chronological file of all your documents: the update slip, the ID proof you submitted, screenshots of the “under process” status, and all grievance communications.
• Send a Formal Representation: Draft a formal letter or email to the UIDAI Regional Office. Clearly state the facts, mention the URN, the date of application, the urgency (e.g., college admission), and attach all supporting documents.
• Send a Legal Notice: If the formal representation is also ignored, the next step is to have a lawyer send a legal notice to UIDAI. This formal notice outlines the grievance, the failure to act, and states that you will be constrained to approach the High Court if the matter is not resolved within a specified period (e.g., 15 days).
• Consult with Lawyer: The very basic and important step to start is talk to Lawyer / advocate. You should not hesitate in paying his consultation fee i.e. might be in range of Rs. 10,000 to 50,000 depends case to case. He is helping you in this situation of come out. He is expert in the domain and can help you explain the procedure which you might have never explored. A good lawyer can get the issues resolved much faster than you think.

If you are the victim

As the person whose essential work is stuck due to this delay, you are the aggrieved party or victim of administrative lethargy.

• Gather Proof of Urgency: Obtain a letter from your college, employer, or any other institution, clearly stating the deadline and the necessity of the updated Aadhaar card. This adds weight to your case and demonstrates the real-world consequences of the delay.
• Explore Interim Solutions: Ask your institution (e.g., the college) if they will accept the Aadhaar update acknowledgement slip along with an affidavit or self-declaration as a provisional measure until the card is updated.
• File a Writ Petition: As a final resort, if all else fails and the deadline is imminent, you can file a writ petition in the High Court. The court can issue interim directions to the institution to provisionally accept your admission while directing UIDAI to expedite the update process.
• Consult with Lawyer: The very basic and important step to start is talk to Lawyer / advocate. You should not hesitate in paying his consultation fee i.e. might be in range of Rs. 10,000 to 50,000 depends case to case. He is helping you in this situation of come out. He is expert in the domain and can help you explain the procedure which you might have never explored. A good lawyer can get the issues resolved much faster than you think.

How the police behave in such cases

The police have no role to play in cases of administrative delays regarding Aadhaar updates. This is a purely civil and administrative matter between you and UIDAI. The police do not have the jurisdiction or authority to compel UIDAI to speed up their process. Approaching the police will not be fruitful. Police intervention would only be relevant if there were allegations of a criminal offense, such as forgery of documents submitted for the update, and a formal complaint was lodged by UIDAI or another affected party. For a simple processing delay, the police station is not the correct forum.

FAQs people normally have

• Can I re-apply for the DOB update if my first application is still pending?
  

  It is generally not recommended. A second application can create a duplicate request in the system, potentially leading to the rejection of both. It is better to follow the escalation process for the first application.

  
  
• What if the helpline and grievance portal are unresponsive?
  

  This is when you must escalate the matter. Move from the general helpline to the UIDAI Regional Office. If that also fails, the next step is the legal route, starting with a legal notice and followed by a writ petition if necessary.

  
  
• My college needs the updated Aadhaar urgently for registration. What can I show them?
  

  You can provide them with the update acknowledgement slip and a copy of the grievances you have filed. You can also request them, in writing, to grant you a provisional admission based on these documents, pending the final update from UIDAI.

  
  
• Is filing a court case the only way to speed this up?
  

  It is the last and most effective resort. Often, a strongly worded legal notice from an advocate is sufficient to get the authorities to act, as they would prefer to avoid litigation. However, if the notice is also ignored, a writ petition is the definitive legal remedy to compel action.

  
  

What evidence is required?

To effectively pursue a resolution, you need to have solid evidence. The key documents are:

• The original Aadhaar Update Acknowledgement Slip with the URN.
• The valid Date of Birth proof document that you submitted with the application (e.g., Birth Certificate, Passport, School Leaving Certificate).
• Copies or reference numbers of all grievances filed on the portal or via email.
• A letter from the institution (college, employer) stating the urgency and deadline.
• Any other communication received from or sent to UIDAI.

How long will the investigation take?

UIDAI’s official timeline for an update is typically up to 90 days, though most updates happen much faster. There isn’t an “investigation” in the traditional sense for a simple delay. The process is one of internal processing. If your application has been pending for an unusually long time (e.g., over 30-45 days), it is considered a delay. If you choose the legal route, the timeline is different. After a legal notice is sent, you typically give the authority 15-30 days to respond. If a writ petition is filed, the High Court may hear the matter within a few weeks and can pass an order directing UIDAI to resolve the issue in a time-bound manner, often within a few more weeks.

Advocate Sudhir Rao, Supreme Court of India