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Kerala HC Upholds Aadhaar OTP for Tatkal Bookings, Suggests PAN as Alternative Authentication

PolityHIGH
Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCSSC GATeachingPrelims HighMains MediumStatic GK Link
24 Jul 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:June 10, 2025Aadhaar OTPPAN Card
Bodies:Kerala High CourtMinistry of RailwaysIRCTC
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.Kerala HC upheld Aadhaar OTP requirement for Tatkal bookings, citing justification based on past deceit and bulk booking.

2.Court suggested PAN Card as an alternative to Aadhaar for authentication, as PAN-linked OTP also achieves same verification.

3.The policy is optional (can book at counters without Aadhaar) and no Aadhaar number is stored by IRCTC, addressing privacy concerns.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

The Kerala High Court upheld the Railways' requirement of Aadhaar-based OTP for online Tatkal bookings, dismissing a PIL that argued it violated privacy. The court suggested PAN Card as an alternative authentication method, balancing security and privacy concerns.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Notification DateJune 10, 2025
Court & BenchKerala HC (CJ Soumen Sen & Justice Syam Kumar V M)
PetitionerBahadur Shah Anakkot Nasirali
EntityIRCTC, Ministry of Railways

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Notification Date: June 10, 2025
  • ›Court & Bench: Kerala HC (CJ Soumen Sen & Justice Syam Kumar V M)
  • ›Target this Data: Notification date: June 10, 2025
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Ministry of Railways
  • ›Target this Legal Point: Proportionality test applied by Kerala HC

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which court delivered the judgment upholding the Aadhaar OTP requirement for Tatkal bookings?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the Kerala High Court judgment on Aadhaar for Tatkal bookings:

1. The court struck down the Aadhaar OTP requirement as a violation of the right to privacy.

2. The court suggested that IRCTC may consider PAN Card as an alternative authentication method.

3. The IRCTC affidavit stated that Aadhaar numbers are stored by the system for future bookings.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

On what date was the Ministry of Railways notification mandating Aadhaar OTP for Tatkal bookings issued?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What was the primary objective behind the Aadhaar OTP requirement for Tatkal bookings as argued by the Railways and IRCTC?

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