The Revenue and Forest Department of the Maharashtra Government on 29 September 2026, issued a notification under the Registration Act, 1908 and section 7 of the Aadhaar Act, 2016. It makes Aadhaar authentication, or proof of an Aadhaar number, a condition for availing document registration services for immovable property. The government says the move will simplify identity verification, reduce the need for multiple ID documents, and improve transparency. People who do not yet have an Aadhaar number must apply for enrolment, with a parent’s or guardian’s consent in the case of a child. The Registration and Stamps Department is tasked with enrolling or updating such beneficiaries, including by setting up enrolment centres.
Until an Aadhaar number is issued, people can still access the service by showing their enrolment acknowledgement along with an alternative identity document. For adults, the accepted documents include a voter ID, passport, driving licence, ration card, or a school-board mark sheet. For children under 18, proof of age and of the relationship with a parent or guardian is required, such as a birth certificate or school certificate. Foreign nationals and children in care institutions are covered by separate lists of accepted documents. A designated officer will verify the enrolment status on the myAadhaar portal and may cross-check other documents with the issuing authorities.
The notification also includes safeguards for people who face authentication problems. If biometric authentication fails, an alternative biometric mode or OTP will be offered, and if those also fail, offline verification of an Aadhaar QR code or paperless e-KYC document can be used. Children cannot be denied the service for lack of Aadhaar, and records of such cases must be kept and audited. Adults who are wrongly excluded can seek relief under the Direct Benefit Transfer Mission’s 2017 exception-handling mechanism. Applicants must also give consent, set out in Annexure-I, for the sharing of their Aadhaar details for e-KYC and for use in government welfare schemes. The notification takes effect from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
