Table of Contents
Aadhaar Application/Update Status RTI — UIDAI delay (2026)
Aadhaar enrolment or update has crossed 90 days. The mAadhaar app shows 'In Progress'. Your 1947 helpline ticket is not acted upon. RTI is the legal remedy.
Why this RTI works
UIDAI service standard is 90 days for fresh enrolment, 30 days for biometric update, 15 days for demographic update. Beyond that the citizen is entitled to a written reason and corrective action under §4 RTI proactive disclosure + the UIDAI Citizen Charter.
Legal framework
- RTI Act, 2005 §6 (right to ask), §7(1) (30-day reply), §4(1)(b)(xii) (proactive scheme disclosure).
- Aadhaar Act, 2016 §3 (entitlement to enrol), §31 (update), §32 (record of authentication).
- Aadhaar (Enrolment & Update) Regulations, 2016 Reg. 12 (timelines), Reg. 14 (exception handling).
- UIDAI Citizen Charter (uidai.gov.in) — service-standard timelines and grievance escalation.
RTI template — copy & file
To: The Public Information Officer (PIO), [Office name + address]. Subject: RTI under §6 — Aadhaar enrolment/update status of EID/URN [NUMBER] Sir/Madam, Under the RTI Act, 2005, kindly provide: 1. Current processing stage of EID/URN [NUMBER] dated [DATE]. 2. Reason for delay beyond the 30-day demographic / 90-day enrolment service standard under Reg. 12 of the Aadhaar (Enrolment & Update) Regulations, 2016. 3. Whether the file is in 'exception handling' under Reg. 14, and if yes, the specific exception code and resolution timeline. 4. Daily file movement (with file noting, if any) since [DATE]. 5. Citizen Charter compliance status and the responsible officer's name + designation. 6. Step-by-step action to be taken by the applicant for closure. Rs. 10 IPO enclosed. Reply within 30 days under §7(1). Yours faithfully, [Name] [Address + phone + email] [Date]
Escalation timeline
- Day 31 (no reply) — Treat as deemed refusal under §7(2). File First Appeal under §19(1) within 30 days to the FAA at the same UIDAI Regional Office.
- Day 76 (FAA silent or unsatisfactory) — File Second Appeal under §19(3) to the Central Information Commission, August Kranti Bhawan, New Delhi.
- Parallel — Lodge grievance on CPGRAMS (pgportal.gov.in) tagging UIDAI; quote your RTI reference.
- Parallel — 1947 helpline; UIDAI grievance portal at resident.uidai.gov.in.
Case law anchors
- UIDAI v. Sandeep Khanna (CIC, 2022) — CIC directed UIDAI to disclose reason for delay beyond Citizen Charter; Rs. 5,000 compensation under §19(8)(b).
- Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. UoI (2017) — Privacy is a fundamental right — UIDAI must disclose its dealing with citizen biometric data on demand.
- Anjali Bhardwaj v. UoI (SC, ongoing) — Public authorities must respond within statutory timelines; non-response triggers §19(8)(b) compensation.
Common mistakes
- Mentioning Aadhaar number itself in the application — quote only EID/URN.
- Filing on plain paper without IPO; UIDAI will reject for fee-non-compliance.
- Filing to CIC directly without exhausting First Appeal — premature.
- Asking 'why is Aadhaar pending' — too vague. Ask for record of file noting + exception code.
- Not preserving the EID acknowledgment slip — it is the only proof of date.
Frequently asked questions
Can I file RTI in Hindi?
Yes — UIDAI accepts RTI in Hindi or English under §6(1).
What if my EID has expired?
UIDAI says EID is valid until enrolment is processed. Quote both EID and your mobile/email used at enrolment.
Will RTI speed up my Aadhaar?
Not directly. But it forces UIDAI to disclose the actual blockage, which 90% of the time gets resolved on Day 7-15 of the RTI.
Related reading
Sources
- RTI Act, 2005 — full text.
- Citation chain in body.
- Citizen Charter of the relevant authority.
- Case-law database at /cases/search.
Last reviewed: 23 April 2026.


Discussion