Aadhaar Card Holders Can Opt Out, Get Their Data Deleted As Government Looks to Amend Act
According to the proposal, citizens can “withdraw their Aadhaar number” which includes both the Aadhaar data as well as the biometrics that the government collected when the citizens enrolled for their Aadhaar number.
New Delhi, December 6: Citizens holding an Aadhaar card will soon be allowed to opt out from the programme after the government finalises a new proposal. Reports inform that the government is currently working on a proposal that amends the Aadhaar Act, allowing users to withdraw their Aadhaar number. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the body that issues the Aadhaar number has proposed the new reform, reports added. According to the proposal, citizens will now be able to “withdraw their Aadhaar number” which includes both the Aadhaar data as well as the biometrics that the government collected when individuals enrolled for Aadhaar. Aadhaar Profile on mAadhaar App Can Be Used for Identification Purpose by Airports Authorities and Indian Railways.
If an individual opts out of the Aadhaar scheme, they will not be able to avail several government schemes and subsidies where Aadhaar linkage is still mandatory. Reports inform that the decision will only benefit individuals who don’t have a PAN card or the ones who don’t require a PAN card because the top court had upheld the linkage of PAN with Aadhaar. Aadhaar Biometric Updation Fees: UIDAI Warns People Against Fake Charges; Know the Fees of Aadhaar Biometric and Other Updates.
The decision of making reforms in the Aadhaar Act comes after the Supreme Court judgment in September upheld the validity of Aadhaar. A Constitution Bench had struck down Section 57 of the Act that allows private entities to use the unique number for verification. Now Skip Queues and Update Your Address From Home at Your Convenience on uidai.gov.in Using Simple Steps.
The top court’s bench had also ordered that seeking to link the 12-digit biometric- Aadhaar with bank accounts and SIM cards was unconstitutional. It must be noted that Aadhaar still remains a valid document for any verification like other authorised documents like PAN card, driving license, voter ID among others. According to a report by The Hindu, the Central government is in the final stages of finalising a proposal to amend the Aadhaar Act which gives all the citizens an option to withdraw their Aadhaar number. Aadhaar Alerts on E-Mail: Here’s How You Can Get Your UIDAI Related Updates on Mail.
Reports inform that the report of the amendments to be made was sent to the Law Ministry that suggested that this option should not be limited to a select segment of the population. The UIDAI has proposed that the option to opt out should only be available for children once they turn 18. Aadhaar-card holders above 18 will have 6 months’ time to decide if he or she wants to withdraw Aadhaar.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 06, 2018 03:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).