Link Aadhaar with voter ID to check election fraud: PIL

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:06.10.2018

The Madras high court on Friday ordered notice to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and the Centre on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking to link Aadhaar with electoral rolls and voter identification card to curb electoral malpractices.

A division bench of Justice S Manikumar and Justice P T Asha suo motu impleaded the UIDAI and the Centre in the matter and directed them to file their responses in two weeks before posting the plea to October 29.

When the plea moved by M L Ravi, president of Desiya Makkal Sakthi Katchi, came up for hearing, counsel for the Election Commission of India (ECI) Nirajan Rajagopalan submitted that the ECI had no objection to linking the Aadhaar with voter ID but said that the latest Supreme Court judgment in connection with Aadhaar should be taken into consideration. “Further we have to consider the expenses that are going to be incurred for the same,” he added.

According to the petitioner, the ECI prepares electoral rolls after a manual doorto-door check that could lead to many errors.

Further, to correct such errors, it seeks the support of all political parties and further errors are made and paves the way for corrupt practices. Even in the December 2017 RK Nagar byelection, there was confusion about the voters list due to allegations of malpractices in addition and deletion of voters, he said, adding that the ECI should initiate the process of linking Aadhar with voter ID to avoid the possibility of repeat, multiple, illegal, invalid, and false voters on the list.

The petitioner wanted the court to direct the ECI to do so before the coming general election.

On September 27, the Supreme Court upheld the validity of the Aadhaar Act, terming it a beneficial legislation, but weeded out provisions which had the potential for misuse.

It held that Aadhaar would no longer be mandatory for opening bank accounts, buying mobile phone SIM cards, getting school admissions, or for appearing in boards exams or common entrance tests.



The high court issued notice to UIDAI and the Centre and directed them to file their responses in two weeks before posting the plea to October 29

Aadhaar Swings The Other Way

Supreme Court should not have struck down its use as verification tool by private sector

Saubhik.Chakrabarti@timesgroup.com  27.09.2018

That the Supreme Court has upheld the constitutional validity of Aadhaar is good. That it has greenlighted the use of Aadhaar for welfare payments disbursal is good. That it has maintained the PAN-Aadhaar-income tax filing link is good.

But that the judgment may prevent private entities from using Aadhaar as a verification tool, thanks to the court’s reading down of Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act, is terrible. And the government must undo what the court has done in this regard.

There are two parts to this argument. First, disallowing Aadhaar as a verification tool in the private sector disempowers millions of aam aadmi as well as some economic migrants from better off classes. By implication, this court verdict is a blow against economic efficiency.

Second, the privacy argument didn’t need prohibition of Aadhaar as a verification tool for the private sector. It needed better data safeguarding measures.

Let’s explain both.

India has always been a difficult country for Indians. The state always demanded layers of verification for even simple requirements citizens had. And rules were always ignorant of evolving economic realities. Address verification in particular assumed that everyone for generations stayed in one residence, where ration cards were issued for everyone, and there was, if you were lucky, a government telephone connection.

That reality had long disappeared as Indian society and economy changed, as economic opportunities expanded. But the address proof requirement continued and imposed huge compliance burden on millions of Indians.

The poor are typically also document poor, and the system was stacked against them. And among better off Indians who moved cities in search of better jobs and shifted rented accommodation to maximise their utility in the rental market, address proof was also a burdensome requirement.

All that changed when Aadhaar was championed by the Modi government as the one-stop identity/address proof for anyone who had got that unique number. So, a poor migrant working in Delhi or Mumbai could get a local SIM card by presenting his Aadhaar card and getting his thumbprint verified. He or she could open a bank account in new, nimble private banks like Kotak and Janalakshmi. Landlords, usually hostile to poor migrants, and employers, suspicious of them, had the assurance that a migrant with an Aadhaar-verified local SIM or a local bank account was who he or she claimed to be.

With the Supreme Court striking down the use of Aadhaar as a verification tool by the private sector, this extraordinary, socially progressive, economically efficient option is now gone. And that’s bad news not just for the poor migrant but also for the middle class young Indian who moves cities and residences to search for better white collar jobs.

Plus, public sector banks were opening bank accounts for poor Indians by asking for the Aadhaar card and using thumbprint verification as a second step check. If even public sector banks stop using thumbprint verification, it’s another blow against the poor because banks were comforted by the second step check, especially when dealing with the migrant poor.

The court’s verdict also increases the cost of customer acquisition for many private sector service companies. Telecom companies could issue a SIM via a thumbprint check with the Aadhaar database. Now, they have to physically verify the address, like before, or they will demand supplementary documents. Same for private banks. The extra cost, when added up, can be huge and therefore seriously economically inefficient. Plus, the court’s verdict also puts a huge questionmark on RBI’s KYC norms centred around Aadhaar. And if that creates a whole lot more complications, the extent of economic inefficiency will increase.

Indeed, as some experts are fearing, because the Supreme Court has come down hard on private sector using Aadhaar as a verification tool, the needle may swing back all the way and Aadhaar may not even be accepted by some private entities as an identity proof. If that happens, all outcomes will be even worse.

So, what should the court have done? This brings us to the second part of our argument. Concerns that private entities may hoard biometric data used for verification are valid. But that concern could have been addressed by asking for strict protocols on the use of Aadhaar in the private sector. For example, thumbprint readers could have been issued only by UIDAI, with proper safeguards built in. Also, UIDAI could have been asked by the court to frame additional safeguard protocols for use of Aadhaar by the private sector.

Verification by itself is not violation – that is what the court verdict seems to have missed. Think about it this way – now even if you want to, you cannot use Aadhaar as a tool for verifying who you are for any private sector service.

The court should have kept Aadhaar verification in the private sector as a voluntary option, after asking for additional data safeguards. A faulty argument based on privacy has killed a huge individual and economic convenience.

Therefore, the Modi government must restore Aadhaar’s convenience attribute. It can amend relevant sectoral laws in, say, telecom and banking, allowing voluntary use of Aadhaar as a verification tool in the private sector. It can tailor the national data protection law to take care of this. Or it can think of filing a curative petition in the Supreme Court.

Something, though, must be done. Aadhaar was a great empowering tool for aam aadmi in India’s growing private sector economy. Now, it’s anti-aam aadmi.



If even public sector banks stop using thumbprint verification, it’s another blow against the poor because banks were comforted by the second step check

BY INVITATION

SC ruling makes Aadhaar stronger. It’s a win for India

Dr Ajay Bhushan Pandey27.09.2018

In the history of independent India, rarely has any single initiative of a government generated as much heated debate as Aadhaar. Critics alleged Aadhaar was unconstitutional as, according to them, it infringed on individual liberty, privacy, personal autonomy, freedom of choice, etc. While a section of critics perceived Aadhaar as a tool of denial and exclusion, some of them raised questions on the efficacy of Aadhaar technology.

While the debate engulfed practically every section of the society, it also brought a number of issues like privacy, data protection and digital security on the national agenda. The debate reminded us, on one hand, of the Luddite movement in Europe in the 19th century when mechanisation was opposed due to fears of job loss. On the other, it set the pace of New India, which is eager to transform into a data-rich digital society.

After six years of protracted litigation and 38 days of marathon hearing, the Supreme Court has finally delivered a historic judgment in which it has held Aadhaar to be constitutional, albeit with some safeguards.

The Supreme Court has held that the architecture of Aadhaar does not create a surveillance state. It has further gone on to say that the Aadhaar Act meets the concept of limited government, good governance and constitutional trust. This is a victory of Indians, particularly the marginalised and underprivileged section of society.

The judgment will help Aadhaar, which has emerged as the world’s first and largest public-owned biometric technology platform, to empower 132 crore people with biometric-based unique identity. It will also provide nationwide infrastructure to establish their identity online from anywhere and at any time, and enable them to receive their entitlements and exercise their rights. It is a matter of pride for every Indian that we have been able to create such a mammoth and sophisticated identity platform inhouse, on our own strength.

Aadhaar will make it possible for the government to design special welfare programmes. For example, use of Aadhaar in Ayushman Bharat ensures benefits are not siphoned away by non-deserving beneficiaries and the insurance premium and expenses stay within affordable limits.

The safeguards and restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court on Aadhaar usage by private entities without backing of a law are welcome and will go a long way in strengthening Aadhaar. A responsibility has also been cast on agencies involved in implementation of programmes to ensure no deserving beneficiary — whether senior citizens, people engaged in manual labour or belonging to underprivileged sections — is denied of any benefit or service for lack of Aadhaar or due to technical glitches.

The verdict on Aadhaar is a win for India and puts the country on the path of digital leadership of the world.

The writer is CEO, UIDAI

FEARS PERSIST

Activists who fought against Aadhaar rush to apply for card

Komal.Gautham@timesgroup.com

Chennai: 27.09.2018

Activists who fought against UIDAI will finally apply for Aadhaar following the Supreme Court verdict.

In October 2017, Preeti Mohan, a 34-year-old advocate, filed a petition in the Madras high court and got an interim stay to file her I-T returns without linking her PAN card to the Aadhaar number. Having closely followed the scheme, she believed that the law was framed in a hurry just to see the project through.

“There were several serious flaws in it, including the threat to privacy, and beyond this, the complete power that the state would have over citizens. I filed the writ petition just before the deadline for my tax filing to avoid having to obtain an Aadhaar. The petition subsequently came to be dismissed,” she said.

Rahul Unnikrishnan, an advocate at the high court, filed nearly 10 petitions over the

last two months. “The main opposition was that the Aadhaar act by itself did not make it mandatory for all citizens to apply for it. Later, they amended the income tax act and included section 139AA saying we should quote Aadhaar when filing I-T returns. The act had serious security issues. We did not know what the government would do with our biometric [information]. That is the main reason many people did not take Aadhaar,” he said.

Preethi said she would soon apply for the Aadhaar card asshehadtofileher returnsby October end. Rahul added that his clients too were rushing to send in their applications. “The SC has substantially diluted what data can be collected, and how it can be stored and used. But I am not completely in agreement with the reasons for upholding it for tax purposes and welfare schemes,” Preethi said.

Meanwhile, M K Stalin of DMK has welcomed the verdict, saying, “While upholding sections that enables social inclusion, it has struck down provisions curbing citizens’ rightsto privacy andconsent.”

Aadhaar Stays, Minus Fangs And Pangs

SC Upholds Constitutional Validity Of Unique ID, Dissenting Judge Calls It A ‘Violation Of Fundamental Rights’

You Don’t Have To Link Phone Or Bank A/c; Pvt Cos Can’t Demand No.

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:27.09.2018

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the validity of the Aadhaar Act, terming it a beneficial legislation, but weeded out provisions which had the potential for misuse. Aadhaar will no longer be mandatory for opening bank accounts, buying mobile phone SIM cards, getting school admissions, or for appearing in boards or common entrance examinations.

The SC also ruled that Aadhaar would be voluntary for those who do not intend to receive any subsidy, benefit or services under welfare schemes, and should only be given to Indian nationals. However, those filing income tax returns must link their Aadhaar with their PAN.

A five-judge constitution bench of CJI Dipak Misra and Justices A K Sikri, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan upheld the NDA government’s Aadhaar legislation by a 4-1 majority, but said its insistence on linkage to bank accounts and mobile phones was disproportionate and every citizen could not be suspected of acquiring black money. Justice Chandrachud, in a strong dissenting judgment, described Aadhaar as unconstitutional.

“The portion of Section 57 of Aadhaar Act which enables corporate bodies and individuals to seek authentication is held to be unconstitutional,” the majority verdict said, agreeing with the petitioners that such a provision could lead to sharing of protected data and privacy of citizens with private bodies.

The court, while taking note of apprehensions expressed by opposition parties and other opponents of Aadhaar about its potential misuse, rebuffed their opposition to passage of the Aadhaar Bill as a money bill and said it was perfectly justified.

The opposition, which had the numbers in Rajya Sabha, could have stalled the bill in the upper House. However, the government got around the potential roadblock when the Lok Sabha Speaker upheld categorisation of the Aadhaar legislation as a money bill — a ruling which reduced Rajya Sabha’s role to rendering a mere advisory on corrections required in the bill.

Of the total 1,448-page judgment, Justice Sikri wrote the majority judgment for himself, CJI Misra and Justice Khanwilkar, running into 567 pages. Justice Bhushan penned a separate but almost concurrent 400-page opinion.


More ease of life, but less ease of business

The SC’s verdict could spell trouble for business models of finance firms . The ability to pull up an individual’s details in an instant had dramatically reduced the time and cost of acquiring customers. Not only private enterprises like Paytm’s e-wallet but government entities like SBI and India Post Payment Bank have built their digital accounts around Aadhaar. P18

Both BJP, Oppn claim victory

Both BJP and opposition hailed the SC’s Aadhaar verdict as a vindication of their stand. BJP chief Amit Shah said it was a strong validation of Aadhaar as an instrument of service delivery and mocked the Congress chief, saying, “Yes, the Congress won today, just like they won Lok Sabha polls in 2014.” Earlier, Rahul Gandhi thanked apex court “for supporting the Congress vision”. P 13

You can ask telcos to delete UID data

The SC’s verdict on Aadhaar empowers you to seek removal of your personal information from the records of telecom, banking, mutual funds and insurance firms which had earlier demanded biometric authentication. With the SC making it clear that Aadhaar linkage with firms is not must, customers who have parted with the information have the right to demand details be withdrawn or deleted. P 18

21cr PAN-Aadhaar linkages till now

More than 21.08 crore permanent account numbers (PANs) have been linked with Aadhaar till now, a latest data revealed as the SC upheld the validity of the linkage between the two databases on Wednesday. The total operational or issued PANs are more than 41.02 crore as per the same timeline, the data said. Of the 41.02 crore PANs issued, 40.01 crore PANs are held by individuals. P 13

Need legislative mechanism for protection of data, says SC

Delivering a powerful 481-page dissent judgment, Justice Chandrachud said categorization of an ordinary Aadhaar bill as money bill was wrong and its passage without voting in Rajya Sabha rendered it unconstitutional. Justice Chandrachud also raised serious issues about Aadhaar having the potential to turn India into a surveillance state.

The scathing observations, however, paled before the pat the NDA government got, with the majority judgment endorsing the idea of Aadhaar as advantageous to the underprivileged millions. “We have come to the conclusion that Aadhaar Act is a beneficial legislation which is aimed at empowering millions of people in the country,” the court said. However, it added, “We are of the view that there is a need for a proper legislative mechanism for data protection.”

It also turned down the contention of the petitioners, 31 in all, that Aadhaar was a means to convert India into a surveillance state. “The architecture of Aadhaar as well as the provisions of the Aadhaar Act do not tend to create a surveillance state. This is ensured by the manner in which the Aadhaar project operates,” Justice Sikri said and detailed Aadhaar’s embedded security and safety measures narrated by UIDAI CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey.

It also did not find evidence to suggest, as argued by petitioners, that Aadhaar was meant to create 360 degree profiles of individuals. “We are of the view that it is very difficult to create profile of a person simply on the basis of biometric and demographic information. Insofar as authentication is concerned, the Centre and the UIDAI rightly pointed out that there are sufficient safeguard mechanisms,” the SC said.

However, the bench struck down Regulation 27(1) of Aadhaar which provided that authentication records were to be stored for five years. Drastically reducing this, the SC said storing Aadhaar authentication records for six months would serve the purpose.

The SC also struck down Section 33(1) of Aadhaar which permitted a joint secretary level officer to permit release of biometric and demographic data of a person from UIDAI for the purpose of national security.

However, it clarified that non-possession of Aadhaar could not be a ground to deny benefits to the needy under a social welfare scheme provided s/he furnished other identification documents.

For full report, www.toi.in

FULL COVERAGE: P 12, 13, 18

SC verdict in Aadhaar case today

legal correspondent

NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 00:00 IST

A Constitution Bench, led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, will pronounce on Wednesday its much-awaited judgment on whether the Aadhaar scheme was unconstitutional and a violation of the fundamental right to privacy and personal body autonomy.

The five-judge Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, and Justices A.K. Sikri, A.M. Khanwilkar, D.Y. Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan had reserved its judgment in May this year, a culmination of over seven years of various challenges against Aadhaar. It will give three opinions by Justices Sikri, Chandrachud and Bhushan.

Link Aadhaar number with EPFO’s UAN, says provident fund official

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

TIRUNELVELI, SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 00:00 IST


‘Only 1.55 lakh out of 3 lakh subscribers have complied’


The Employees Provident Fund Organisation’s Tirunelveli Region has set a target of linking the Universal Account Number (UAN) of nearly three lakh subscribers of the region with their Aadhaar number before October 2.

The move was aimed at making their PF transactions/settlements easier, M. Mathialagan, Additional Central Provident Fund Commissioner, Coimbatore Zone, told reporters here on Thursday,

The EPFO, which was moving towards its ‘paperless office’ goal, would be able to settle the claims and deal with other transactions effectively if the employers and employees cooperated with the organisation.

The employees, having their Universal Account Number activated and Know Your Customer seeded with it, could claim their benefits through www.epfoindia.gov.in or Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance (UMANG) app of the Government of India since online filing of return and remittance by the employer was already in place.

For availing the benefits instantly, the employer must have digital signature or e-signature, and the employees should get their KYC i.e. Aadhaar number, bank account details and mobile phone number linked with their UAN.

However, only 1.55 lakh out of the three lakh-odd subscribers in the region had linked their Aadhaar number with UAN although both the employers and the employees had been sensitised to its necessity on various occasions.

If the Aadhaar number and other required details were seeded with the UAN, it would immensely expedite the settlement of claims and other PF transactions.

Hence, the employers and the employees should cooperate with PF officials by linking their KYC with UAN, Mr. Mathialagan said.

On the housing assistance scheme launched by EPFO’s Tirunelveli Regional Office last year, wherein the subscribers could withdraw 90% of their accumulation in the PF account for constructing or buying a house, Mr. Mathialagan said the initiative set in motion by the regional office had reached the final stages as construction of houses for employees of a Thoothukudi-based shipping company would take off soon.

Unused funds

The amount in inoperative PF accounts would not be diverted for any other purpose, he said when asked about the Finance Ministry’s proposal for using the unused funds for the welfare of senior citizens.

“Since EPFO is the custodian of the funds once paid by the subscribers, it has the responsibility of returning it back to the subscriber or to their legal heirs,” said K. Muthuselvan, Regional PF Commissioner – I, Coimbatore Zone.

Later Mr. Mathialagan handed over pension orders to beneficiaries in the presence of Sanat Kumar, Regional PF Commissioner– I, Tirunelveli.


Both the employers and employees should cooperate with PF officials for easy settlement of claims, transactions

M. Mathialagan,Additional Central Provident Fund Commissioner, Coimbatore Zone

Aadhaar no longer must on mark sheets

Basant Kumar Mohanty Sep 07, 2018 00:00 IST

The UGC building in Delhi. Pitcure by Prem Singh

New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has rolled back its 2017 directive asking universities to print students' Aadhaar numbers on their mark sheets.

The higher education regulator said printing the unique identity number would amount to breaching the security and confidentiality of Aadhaar and violate the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016.

However, some universities have already started implementing the order. Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) asked research students last year to provide their Aadhaar number while submitting their thesis.

Geeta Kumari, the president of the JNU students' union, said the university was forcing students to part with their Aadhaar data.

"JNU forced students to submit Aadhaar data because of the UGC's directive. Now that the UGC has rolled back its own order, JNU must scrap its order also," Kumari said.

Delhi University executive council member Rajesh Jha demanded that varsities that have complied with the UGC's 2017 directive should now take back the mark sheets and reprint them without the Aadhaar numbers.

"It will be unfair if the mark sheets carry the Aadhaar numbers. Those institutions that have printed the numbers should take back the mark sheets and reprint them without the Aadhaar information," Jha said.

In a letter dated September 4 and issued by UGC secretary Rajnish Jain to all universities, it has been mentioned: "It is for your kind information that printing of Aadhaar number on degree/certificate of a resident would be accessible to multiple people, thereby breaching the security and confidentiality of the Aadhaar numbers would be in violation of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, and regulations framed thereunder."

The letter said the regulations prohibited Aadhaar data from being published, displayed or posted publicly and also provided for penalties for such offences.

"Therefore, you are requested not to publish or display the Aadhaar number of the students publicly," the letter added.

On July 29, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India chief R.S. Sharma had posted his Aadhaar number on Twitter, challenging hackers to do any harm.

Hackers had immediately posted his personal details such as his mobile phone number, residential address and bank accounts.

UGC secretary Jain told The Telegraph that some of the universities had already printed Aadhaar details on mark sheets.

"We will discuss what can be done in case of the mark sheets that have already printed the Aadhaar numbers," he said.

On March 21, 2017, the UGC had issued a letter to all universities asking them to start printing Aadhaar numbers on mark sheets as a measure to check malpractice.

"I request you to introduce identification mechanisms like photograph and Unique lD/Aadhaar number in students' certificates. Such inscriptions, you'd agree, will go a long way in uniformly marking a student's personal identity and other associated details," said the letter issued by then UGC secretary J.S. Sandhu.

சான்றிதழ்களில் ஆதார் பதிய தடை : கல்வி நிறுவனங்களுக்கு உத்தரவு

Added : செப் 06, 2018 00:11

மாணவர்களின் கல்வி சான்றிதழ்களில், ஆதார் எண்ணை பதிவு செய்ய, மத்திய அரசு, திடீர் தடை விதித்துள்ளது. நாடு முழுவதும், அரசு துறைகள் மற்றும் கல்வி நிறுவனங்களில் பணியாற்றும் ஊழியர்கள், ஆசிரியர்கள் மற்றும் அதிகாரிகளிடம் நிர்வாக செயல்பாடுகளுக்காக, ஆதார் எண் சேகரிக்கப் பட்டுள்ளது. கல்வி நிறுவனங்களில் படிக்கும் மாணவ - மாணவி யரிடமும் ஆதார் எண் சேகரிக்கப்பட்டு, கல்வி நிறுவன தகவல் தொகுப் பில் இணைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.மேலும், ஆதார் எண்ணை பயன்படுத்தி, சான்றிதழ்களை சரி பார்க்கவும், சான்றிதழ்களை வழங் கவும், ஏற்கனவே கல்வி நிறுவனங்கள் அறிவுறுத்தப் பட்டு இருந்தன. இந்நிலையில், ஆதார் எண்ணை, சான்றிதழ்களில் பதிவு செய்ய, மத்திய அரசு திடீர் தடை விதித்துள்ளது.இதுகுறித்து, பல்கலை மானியக்குழுவான, யு.ஜி.சி.,யின் செயலர், ரஜினிஷ் ஜெயின், அனைத்து பல் கலைகளுக்கும், அனுப்பி உள்ள சுற்றறிக்கை: மத்திய அரசின், மின்னணு மற்றும் தகவல் தொழில் நுட்ப அமைச்சகம் சார்பில், 2017 மார்ச்சில், கல்வி நிறுவனங் களுக்கு சுற்றறிக்கை அனுப்பப்பட்டது. இதில், மாணவ - மாணவி யரின் ஆதார் எண்ணை பயன்படுத்துவது தொடர்பான, வழிகாட்டுதல்கள் வழங்கப்பட்டிருந்தன.இந்நிலையில், ஆதார் எண்ணை வெளிப்படையாக தெரிவித்தால், அதன் வழியே, தனிநபர் ரகசியங்கள் வெளியாக வாய்ப்புகள் உள்ளன. எனவே, பல்கலைகளும், கல்லுாரிகளும், தங்கள் மாணவர்களின் சான்றிதழ்களில், ஆதார் எண்ணை, எந்த காரணம் கொண்டும் பதிவிட வேண்டாம். மேலும், ஆதார் எண்ணை, வேறு பயன்பாடுகளுக்கு பகிர்ந்து கொள்ளவும் வேண்டாம்.இந்த உத்தரவை பல்கலைகளும், கல்லுாரிகளும் உடனடியாக பின்பற்றி, தகுந்த நடவடிக்கை மேற்கொள்ள வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு அதில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

- நமது நிருபர் -

Use Aadhaar freely, without fear: UIDAI

Press Trust of India

NEW DELHI, AUGUST 13, 2018 00:00 IST

After TRAI chief’s Aadhaar dare ignited a debate on the security of the 12-digit number, theUnique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is planning a user outreach to sensitise people to the dos and don’ts of sharing their biometric identifier.

The UIDAI intends to draw a parallel between the Aadhaar number and other personal information such as PAN and bank account number to caution users against placing such details in the public domain, particularly on digital platforms.

ஆதார் அட்டை வைத்திருப்பதால் இந்திய குடிமகன் ஆகி விட முடியாது ஐகோர்ட்டு உத்தரவு!

ஆதார் அட்டை வைத்திருப்பதால் இந்திய குடிமகன் ஆகி விட முடியாது ஐகோர்ட்டு உத்தரவு!

 ஆதார் அட்டை, வாக்காளர் அடையாள அட்டை வைத்திருப்பதால் மட்டும் ஒருவர் இந்திய குடிமகன் ஆகி விட முடியாது என்று சென்னை ஐகோர்ட்டு உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

சென்னை,

சென்னை ஐகோர்ட்டில், திவ்யா என்பவர் தாக்கல் செய்துள்ள மனுவில், ‘எனது தாயார் ஜெயந்தி, இலங்கை யாழ்ப்பாணத்தில் பிறந்தவர். இலங்கையில் நடந்த போரின் காரணமாக இந்தியாவுக்கு வந்து எனது தந்தையான பிரேம்குமாரை கடந்த 1992-ம் ஆண்டு திருமணம் செய்தார். எனது தாயார் தமிழகத்தில் தான் படித்துள்ளார். அவர், இந்தியர் என்பதற்கு ஆதார் அட்டை, வாக்காளர் அடையாள அட்டை, ஓட்டுநர் உரிமம் என அனைத்து ஆதாரங்களும் உள்ளன. பணிநிமித்தமாக இத்தாலி சென்று, அங்கிருந்து அடிக்கடி இந்தியா வந்து செல்வார். கடந்த ஜூலை 1-ந்தேதி எனது தாயார் சட்டவிரோதமாக இந்தியா வந்துள்ளதாகக் கூறி அவரை சென்னை விமான நிலைய அதிகாரிகள் கைது செய்துள்ளனர். எனவே விமான நிலைய அதிகாரிகளின் கட்டுப்பாட்டில் உள்ள எனது தாயாரை விடுவித்து, மீண்டும் இத்தாலி செல்ல அனுமதிக்க வேண்டும்’ என்று கூறியிருந்தார்.

இந்திய குடிமகன்

இந்த வழக்கு நீதிபதி டி.ராஜா முன்பு விசாரணைக்கு வந்தது. மத்திய அரசு சார்பில் பதில் மனு தாக்கல் செய்யப்பட்டது. அதில், ‘இலங்கையை சேர்ந்த ஜெயந்தியின் இலங்கை பாஸ்போர்ட் கடந்த 1994-ம் ஆண்டோடு காலாவதியாகி விட்டது. அதன்பிறகு மோசடியாக இந்தியாவில் பாஸ்போர்ட் பெற்றுள்ளார். எனவே தான் அவரை விமான நிலைய அதிகாரிகள் கைது செய்துள்ளனர்’ என்று கூறப்பட்டிருந்தது.

இதை ஏற்றுக் கொண்ட நீதிபதி டி.ராஜா, ‘ஆதார் அட்டை, வாக்காளர் அடையாள அட்டை, ஓட்டுநர் உரிமம் உள்ளிட்டவைகளை பெற்றுவிட்டதால் மட்டும் ஒருவர் இந்திய குடிமகன் ஆகி விட முடியாது. அவற்றை எல்லாம் அரசு அங்கீகரிக்க வேண்டும். ஜெயந்தி இலங்கை பிரஜை என்று கூறி, அந்நாட்டு அரசு அவருக்கு பாஸ்போர்ட் வழங்கியுள்ளது. எனவே, அவரை விடுவிக்க உத்தரவிட முடியாது. இந்த வழக்கை தள்ளுபடி செய்கிறேன்’ என்று உத்தரவிட்டார்.

'ஆதார்' கார்டு தொலைந்ததா மறுபடியும் பெறுவது எளிது

Added : ஜூலை 19, 2018 22:44 |

  சென்னை, காணாமல் போன, 'ஆதார்' கார்டை, '1947' என்ற தொலைபேசி எண் வாயிலாக, மறுபடியும் பெற்று கொள்ள முடியும்.மத்திய அரசு, நாட்டில் உள்ள அனைத்து குடிமக்களுக்கும், புகைப்படம், விழி, விரல் ரேகை உள்ளிட்ட விபரங்களுடன் கூடிய, 'ஆதார்' அட்டையை வழங்கி வருகிறது. புதிதாக வங்கி கணக்கு துவக்குவது, ரேஷன் கார்டு பெறுவது என, அரசின் அனை த்து சேவைகளையும் பெறுவதற்கு, ஆதார் கார்டு அவசியம்.சிலர், அந்த கார்டை தொலைத்து விடுவதுடன், ஆதார் எண்ணும் தெரியாததால், மாற்று கார்டு வாங்க சிரமப்படுகின்றனர். இதற்காக, இடைத்தரகர்களை நாடி, பணமும் செலவு செய்கின்றனர். காணாமல் போன, ஆதார் கார்டை, '1947' என்ற, நுகர்வோர் கட்டணமில்லா தொலைபேசி எண்ணை அழைப்பதன் வாயிலாக, மறுபடியும் பெற்று கொள்ளலாம்.ஆதார் எண் தெரியாவிட்டாலும் பரவாயில்லை. அதன்படி, 1947 என்ற தொலைபேசி எண்ணுக்கு போன் செய்து, தமிழில் பேசுவதற்கு, அவர்கள் சொல்லும் எண்ணை, போனில் அழுத்த வேண்டும். பின், உங்கள் பெயர், பிறந்த தேதி, முகவரி சொன்னால், ஆதார் எண்ணை கண்டுபிடித்து, உங்களுக்கு அனுப்புவர்.

Aadhaar helps TN trim PDS list; 1.43cr duplicate names off

Julie.Mariappan@timesgroup.com

Chennai 03.07.2018

: Thanks to Aadhaar, the demographic and biometric authentication process has helped remove the names of 1.4 crore people from the public distribution system database in the state as they appeared on more than one ration card. The duplications were rectified after seeding of Aadhaar numbers in the government database for universal PDS.

About 10 lakh duplicate PDS cards were also eliminated during the exercise, said a policy note tabled by R Kamaraj, food and consumer protection minister, in the state assembly. “Names of these people appeared in one or more cards and they were enjoying subsidized commodities. After seeding of unique numbers to the database for the distribution of smart cards, the number of people came down from eight crore to 6.6 crore in our database,” said a senior government official.

“The eligible cards have now come down to 1.96 crore,” he said. Under PDS and special PDS, essential commodities are sold at subsidized rates, while rice is supplied free of cost.



Rice supplied by govt unfit for consumption, says Cong MLA

Between 2011 and 2016, periodical door-to-door verification resulted in elimination of 5.47 lakh cards. During the debate on demand for grants for the department in the assembly, the opposition and treasury benches locked horns over the quality of essentials sold in PDS outlets. “The rice supplied by government is unfit for consumption and quality check parameters have not been followed,” R Ganesh (Congress) alleged. Minister Kamaraj said the Congress couldn’t make such an allegation as it levied service tax on storage of rice but scrapped it following stiff opposition from former CM J Jayalalithaa. The monthly allotment of 2.92 lakh tonnes of rice to TN from the central pool was checked for quality before being sold in outlets. While 3.17 lakh tonnes is the monthly offtake, the state meets the demand by purchasing at a higher rate from the Centre.

TN spends ₹6,000 crore towards food subsidy each year, despite implementing the National Food Safety Act that narrows down priority and nonpriority households. “But all rice cardholders are eligible for 5kg rice each as per NFSA,” chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said.

The abrupt stoppage of urad dal under special PDS came in for sharp criticism from the opposition, but government said 20,000 tonnesof tur dal and 1.5 crore litres of palmolein oil were supplied to all cardholders every month to keep the price hike under control. The supply will continue upto February next year.

In a bid to put in place security mechanism, Kamaraj announced GPS in trucks that transport goods from the Food Corporation of India and Civil Supplies godowns to PDS outlets, besides CCTV surveillance at a cost of ₹20 crore. Twenty-five direct purchase centres to procure paddy directly from farmers will be set up in the delta districts at ₹12 crore this fiscal.

Aadhaar made mandatory for medical counselling

The HC on Friday ruled that production of Aadhaar Card and a photocopy of the card would be compulsory at the time of counselling for medical course admissions.
 
Published: 23rd June 2018 05:05 AM | 



Image of Aadhaar card used for representational purpose only

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The HC on Friday ruled that production of Aadhaar Card and a photocopy of the card would be compulsory at the time of counselling for medical course admissions. The petitioners alleged that students from other States were being allotted MBBS seats in Tamil Nadu based on nativity certificates that were being obtained fraudulently.

Justice N Kirubakaran directed medical education authorities to ensure that Aadhaar was produced to enable genuine students from the State benefit from State quota. “Other States have made it compulsory to produce Aadhaar number of the respective candidates,” said Justice Kirubakaran. “To confirm that the genuine State candidates benefit from the State quota, it is appropriate to make production of Aadhaar card and a photocopy of the same compulsory at the time of counselling.”

The court had been informed by a committee that a random verification of nativity certificates presented by 296 students admitted to MBBS (2017-18) courses in Tamil Nadu through NEET under CBSE category were found to be issued without inquiry or scrutiny.

More post offices offer Aadhaar enrolment 

K. Lakshmi 
 
CHENNAI, June 21, 2018 00:00 IST


Brisk service:Postal staff have been trained to offer services related to Aadhaar cards.K. Pichumani 

Around 43,500 people have either enrolled or updated their details this year in region: Postmaster-General

Residents may have better access to Aadhaar enrolment and related services now. The Department of Posts has increased the number of post offices offering the services manifold in the last two months in the State.

There are nearly 2,833 post offices across the State. Of this, nearly 1,435 post offices now allow residents to enrol for Aadhaar or update their information. Officials of the Postal Department said more post offices were empanelled due to growing demand. The number of post offices providing the service has gone up from a mere 120 in April across the State.

R. Anand, Postmaster-General, Chennai city region, said about 43,500 people had either enrolled or updated their details so far this year in the region, including Vellore and Puducherry. Residents can approach 316 post offices in Chennai city region for the service.

However, a few residents complained about mistakes in updating data in Ambattur post office that has delayed the process for over a month now. Responding to the complaints, Mr. Anand said about 1,300 postal staff members had been trained for Aadhaar transactions and the issue would be looked into.

Staff agitation

Members of the All India Postal Employees Union wore black badges to work on Wednesday and participated in demonstrations across the State protesting against the inadequate infrastructure.

J. Ramamurthy, the union’s circle president, said the department had undertaken core system integration, which was expected to bring all postal services under online platform. But, instead of increasing speed of transactions, it had only delayed the process and affected customers.

வங்கிகள், தபால் அலுவலகங்களில் 18 ஆயிரம், 'ஆதார்' மையங்கள் திறப்பு

Added : ஜூன் 21, 2018 01:15


புதுடில்லி: வங்கிகள், தபால் அலுவலகங்களில் மட்டும், ௧௮ ஆயிரம், 'ஆதார்' அட்டை வழங்கும் மையங்கள் திறக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன என, யு.ஐ.டி.ஏ.ஐ.,தெரிவித்துள்ளது.மக்களுக்கு ஆதார் எண் வழங்கும் பணியை, யு.ஐ.டி.ஏ.ஐ., எனப்படும், ஆதார் அடையாள அட்டை ஆணையம் வழங்கி வருகிறது. இந்நிலையில், யு.ஐ.டி.ஏ.ஐ.,யின் தலைமை செயல் அதிகாரி, பூஷண் பாண்டே கூறியதாவது:ஆதார் அட்டை வழங்கும் வசதியை துவக்கும்படி, பொதுத்துறை மற்றும் தனியார் வங்கிகளிடம், யு.ஐ.டி.ஏ.ஐ., கடந்த ஆண்டு வலியுறுத்தியது. குறைந்தது, ௧௦ கிளைகளுக்கு, ஒரு கிளையிலாவது, ஆதார் மையம் திறக்கப்பட வேண்டும் என வலியுறுத்தப்பட்டது. தபால் அலுவலகங்களிலும், ஆதார் மையங்கள் திறக்கப்பட்டன.தற்போது, வங்கிகள் மற்றும் தபால் அலுவலகங்களில் மட்டும், ௧௮ ஆயிரம், ஆதார் மையங்கள் திறக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன.வங்கிகளில், ௧௦ ஆயிரம் மையங்களும், தபால் அலுவலகங்களில், ௮,000 மையங்களும் திறக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. வங்கிகள், தபால் அலுவலகங்களில், மேலும், ௮,000 மையங்கள் திறக்கப்பட உள்ளன.வங்கிகளில் ஆதார் மையங்கள் திறக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதால், வங்கி கணக்கு துவக்குவது, சாதாரண மக்களுக்கு, மிகவும் எளிதாகியுள்ளது.இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

டிரைவிங் லைசென்சுடன் ஆதார் எண் இணைப்பு?

Updated : ஜூன் 15, 2018 00:07 | Added : ஜூன் 15, 2018 00:05 |



 

புதுடில்லி : மொபைல் போன் முதல், வங்கி கணக்கு வரை, ஆதார் எண் இணைக்கப்பட்ட நிலையில், விரைவில், 'டிரைவிங் லைசென்சுடன், ஆதாரை இணைக்கும் திட்டத்தை அமல்படுத்த, மத்திய அரசு முடிவு செய்துள்ளது.

சமீபத்தில், மத்திய சட்ட அமைச்சரும், பா.ஜ.,வைச் சேர்ந்தவருமான, ரவிசங்கர் பிரசாத் வெளியிட்ட அறிக்கையில் கூறியிருப்பதாவது: டிரைவிங் லைசென்சுடன், ஆதார் எண்ணை இணைப்பதால், போதையில், விபத்தை ஏற்படுத்திவிட்டு, தப்பி செல்லும் வாகன ஓட்டிகளை பிடிப்பது எளிதாகும். விபத்தை ஏற்படுத்தியவர், வாகனத்தை கைவிட்டு, தலைமறைவானாலும், அதில் உள்ள விரல் ரேகை மூலம், அவரை அடையாளம் காண முடியும்.

குற்றவாளிகள் பிடிபடும்போது, தங்கள் பெயரை மாற்றிக் கூறினாலும், விரல் ரேகை மாறாது என்பதால், அவர் மீது நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க முடியும். அதற்கு, டிரைவிங் லைசென்சுடன், ஆதார் எண் இணைக்கப்பட வேண்டும் என, மத்திய போக்குவரத்து துறை அமைச்சகத்திடம் வலியுறுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளது. இவ்வாறு அதில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இதையடுத்து, டிரைவிங் லைசென்சுடன், ஆதார் எண்ணை இணைக்கும் நடவடிக்கையை, மத்திய அரசு விரைவுபடுத்தியுள்ளது.

Aadhaar service introduced in major post offices 

Staff Reporter
THENI, May 16, 2018 00:00 IST



From now on, residents in major towns and rural areas need not go to headquarters or wait in private centres to enrol their names for Aadhaar.

They can visit post offices to enrol themselves for Aadhar cards thanks to introduction of Aadhaar service in major post offices in the district.

Superintendent of Posts R. Swaminathan told reportes here on Tuesday that Aadhaar enrolment facility, in the first phase, had been introduced in 26 post offices in Periyakulam, Andipatti, Devadhanapatti, Gandamanur, Kadamalaigundu, Lakshmipuram, Periyakulam Bazaar, Saptoor, Sedapatti, Theni, T. Subbulapuram, Usilampatti, Vadugapatti, Veerapandi, Ezhumalai, Cumbum, Royappanpatti, Bodinayakkanur, Chinnamanur, Goodalur, Kamayagoundenpatti, Kombai, Sillamarathupatti, Subbu Raj Nagar, Theveram and Uthamapalayam. These post offices would function as centres for Aadhaar enrolment and updating.

Computerised network facility was provided and specially trained staff were deputed in each post office to provide better service. This facility would benefit residents in rural pockets.

Registration for Aadhaar would be done free of cost and Rs. 30 would be charged to make necessary correction in Aadhaar cards, change of address or addition of any more information in cards.

'ஓய்வூதியம் பெறுவதற்கு ஆதார் அவசியம் இல்லை'

Added : மே 15, 2018 22:54

புதுடில்லி: ''மத்திய அரசு ஊழியர்கள், ஓய்வூதியம் பெறுவதற்கு, ஆதார் அடையாள எண் அவசியம் இல்லை,'' என, மத்திய பணியாளர் நலத்துறை இணையமைச்சர், ஜிதேந்திர சிங் கூறியுள்ளார்.தன்னார்வ ஏஜன்சிகளுக்கான நிலைக்குழு கூட்டத்தில், அமைச்சரும், பா.ஜ.,வைச் சேர்ந்தவருமான, ஜிதேந்திர சிங் நேற்று பேசியதாவது:மத்திய அரசு ஊழியர்கள், ஓய்வூதியம் பெறுவதற்கு, ஆதார் அவசியம் கிடையாது. உயிருடன் இருப்பதற்கான சான்றிதழை, வங்கிகளை அணுகாமல் சமர்ப்பிப்பதற்கான தொழில் நுட்பத்தை செயல்படுத்த, ஆதார், கூடுதல் அம்சமாக உள்ளது.இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.ஆதார் இல்லாததால், சில ஓய்வூதியதாரர்கள் தங்கள் ஓய்வூதியத்தை பெறுவதில் சிரமம் இருப்பதாக செய்திகள் வெளியாகின. இந்த நிலையில், அமைச்சரின் பதில், முக்கியத்துவம் வாய்ந்ததாக
கருதப்படுகிறது.

Aadhaar not must for mobile SIM, says govt
Operators Told To Accept Other Documents

Pankaj.Doval@timesgroup.com 02.05.2018

New Delhi: Here’s some good news for consumers struggling to get a mobile phone SIM without an Aadhaar card. The government has issued instructions to operators to accept alternative identification documents such as driving licence, passport and voter ID card.

Mobile companies have been asked to follow the instructions “immediately” so that consumers are not inconvenienced, said telecom secretary Aruna Sundararajan. The move follows a TOI report on April 27, which highlighted instances of people being denied a SIM card if they did not have an Aadhaar card. The Supreme Court has already clarified that Aadhaar is not mandatory for getting SIM cards until it takes afinal view on the matter.

“The ministry has issued instructions to all telecom companies, asking them not to deny a SIM card to any individual who does not have an Aadhaar number. We have asked them to accept other forms of KYC (know your customer) documents, and continue to issue SIM cards,” Sundararajan told TOI.

Mobile companies had been insisting on verification through Aadhaar, based on earlier instructions given by the telecom department to confirm all the numbers with the government’s digital directory.


Aadhaar-PAN linking helps I-T detect ₹33k cr

Linking Aadhaar and PAN has helped the tax department track high-value transactions of ₹33,000 crore, which were sought to be suppressed by individuals who face the risk of action if there’s evidence that the transactions don’t match the disclosed income. P 11

Soon, ombudsman for telecom complaints

You will soon have a telecom ombudsman to rely on when your mobile operator refuses to pay heed to your complaints on deficient services with the government clearing a three-tier mechanism on Tuesday. The ombudsman will be formed under the aegis of Trai. P 16

NRIs, foreigners too denied SIM cards

Mobile companies had been insisting on verification through Aadhaar, based on earlier instructions given by the telecom department to confirm all the numbers with the government’s digital directory. While the telecom ministry insisted that it had given such instructions only after observations of the Supreme Court in the Lokniti Foundation case, the top court recently clarified that it had not given any such orders.

The Aadhaar issue had not only impacted local residents, but even NRIs and foreigners visiting the country. Since the majority of such individuals did not have an Aadhaar card, retailers of mobile companies had started denying them SIM cards.

Mobile operators have so far refused to comment on the matter. However, official sources said the government has taken it very seriously. “This kind of a denial by retailers is completely uncalled for when there is no legal basis to enforce it. Such practices will not be tolerated,” a senior official said.

It is also understood that the government has asked mobile companies to “take it easy” on the issue of re-verification of mobile numbers with Aadhaar. With the Supreme Court extending the deadline for this indefinitely (until its final decision), the government feels that there is no merit for mobile operators to “unnecessarily push” their subscribers on the matter.

Until last week, mobile companies had been bombarding customers with calls, messages and other such unsolicited communication, asking them to link their phone number with Aadhaar. They had said that they were “simply complying” with the government’s previous directive on the matter.