The Government of India on Friday made a strong statement for the use of Aadhaar number to register deaths to prevent ‘identity fraud’, but stopped short of making it mandatory even as fears of privacy being compromised are yet to be put to rest.

Every person in India must be an Aadhaar card holder because those 12 digits are not just useful during your lifetime, but also to be declared dead. Starting October 1, death certificates will need to have the person’s Aadhaar number “for the purpose of establishing the identity of the deceased.”

This comes as more than 1.16 billion people, and nearly every adult, has been enrolled in Aadhaar, the subject of a vigorous debate on privacy. While the Home Ministry called it a method to control the identity theft crisis, the social media went berserk over needing an Aadhaar number of the Enrolment ID Number (EID) in order to die peacefully (declared dead).

Top officials said the step has been taken to avoid benefits or subsidies being claimed in the name of dead people. More than 300 schemes involving a subsidy or a benefit have been linked to Aadhaar with nearly Rs 6,600 crore being paid out every month through direct benefit transfers (DBT). Currently, any identity proof of the deceased can be furnished while applying for a death certificate.

“The use of Aadhaar for the applicants of the death certificate will result in ensuring the accuracy of the details provided by the relatives/dependents of the deceased,” said the notification issued by the government Friday. “It will provide an effective method to prevent identity fraud. It will also help in recording the identity of the deceased person. Further, it will obviate the need for producing multiple documents to prove the identity of the deceased person.”

In a statement, the home ministry said the use of Aadhaar number for death certificate will help establish the identity of the deceased and ensure the accuracy of details provided by relatives or dependents of the deceased and obviate the need for producing multiple documents. “Any false declaration given by the applicant in this regard will be treated as an offence as per the provisions of the Aadhaar Act, 2016 and also Registration of Birth and Death Act, 1969,” the statement said, adding that the Aadhaar number of the applicant and his/her spouse and parents shall also be collected.

Twitterati had a field day making funny memes and posting jokes over the announcement. Twitter users unleashed their funny side till government released a clarification note, mentioning Aadhar Card to be not mandatory.

Twitter Reactions:

Ram Ram Satya Hai, Aadhaar number Must hai.

— Godman Chikna (@Madan_Chikna) August 4, 2017

When you are dead but forgot to link it with the Aadhar card. #AadharCard pic.twitter.com/uiMP1C25zE

— unemployed rambler (@imprincesskiran) August 4, 2017

Doctors be like “Ab inko Dawa ki nahi, aadhar ki jarurat hai ” 😸 https://t.co/oBG738LwrF

— Rofl Gandhi (@RoflGandhi_) August 4, 2017

Aadhar card rules be like:| #AadharCard #AadhaarInNews pic.twitter.com/XM8ovWtOu5

— BhaVesH (@b_v_c_05) August 4, 2017

If you didn’t have Aadhaar when you died, you need to come back to life, get Aadhaar, then die again. https://t.co/x4dFz50bXe

— Madhu Menon (@madmanweb) August 4, 2017

#AadharCard pic.twitter.com/MvrGSmamsL

— Pankaj Pitale (@pankajpitale) July 6, 2017

You can’t die without Aadhaar. We have solved immortality, guys! https://t.co/Zfgg8zGzR3

— thewisecrab (@thewisecrab) August 4, 2017

So sad.😂😂 #Aadhaar pic.twitter.com/zhC8W2mHrc

— Abhishek (@SsupHolmes) August 4, 2017

October 2: Man not acknowledged as dead for failing to provide #aadhaar number after dying https://t.co/LKYShZCKQc

— Arunava Sinha (@arunava) August 4, 2017

When Jon Show died in India and forgot to get Aadhar card..#AadharCard pic.twitter.com/aisBxC0B6n

— MumBaekar.. (@katamulgi) August 4, 2017

Jon Snow came back to life because he did not have Aadhaar Card while dying. https://t.co/DChkfO8g1y

— Bollywood Gandu (@BollywoodGandu) August 4, 2017

Please die before 30th September 2017, in case you don’t have an Aadhaar Card. https://t.co/LehBr8qAS5

— Trendulkar (@Trendulkar) August 4, 2017

The official statement by PIB.NIC.IN on Requirement of Aadhaar number for Registration of Death of an Individual read:

“The Aadhaar number will be required for the purpose of establishing the identity of the deceased for the purpose of Death registration w.e.f 1st October 2017. In a notification issued today the Registrar General India (RGI), Ministry of Home Affairs has said the use of Aadhaar for the applicants of Death Certificate will result in ensuring the accuracy of the details provided by the relatives/dependents/acquaintances of the deceased.

It will provide an effective method to prevent identity fraud. It will also help in recording the identity of the deceased person. Further, it will obviate the need for producing multiple documents to prove the identity of the deceased person.”

Also Read: IRCTC Booking: Passengers Can Now Book ‘TATKAL’ Tickets And Pay Later

The birth and death registration departments in the states are responsible for issuing certificates and have been directed to ensure compliance from October 1and send a confirmation to the Centre by September 1. Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and Meghalaya have been exempted from this step for now.