In 2009, I became extremely concerned with the concept of Unique Identity for various reasons. Connected with many like minded highly educated people who were all concerned.
On 18th May 2010, I started this Blog to capture anything and everything I came across on the topic. This blog with its million hits is a testament to my concerns about loss of privacy and fear of the ID being misused and possible Criminal activities it could lead to.
In 2017 the Supreme Court of India gave its verdict after one of the longest hearings on any issue. I did my bit and appealed to the Supreme Court Judges too through an On Line Petition.
In 2019 the Aadhaar Legislation has been revised and passed by the two houses of the Parliament of India making it Legal. I am no Legal Eagle so my Opinion carries no weight except with people opposed to the very concept.
In 2019, this Blog now just captures on a Daily Basis list of Articles Published on anything to do with Aadhaar as obtained from Daily Google Searches and nothing more. Cannot burn the midnight candle any longer.
"In Matters of Conscience, the Law of Majority has no place"- Mahatma Gandhi
Ram Krishnaswamy
Sydney, Australia.

Aadhaar

The UIDAI has taken two successive governments in India and the entire world for a ride. It identifies nothing. It is not unique. The entire UID data has never been verified and audited. The UID cannot be used for governance, financial databases or anything. It’s use is the biggest threat to national security since independence. – Anupam Saraph 2018

When I opposed Aadhaar in 2010 , I was called a BJP stooge. In 2016 I am still opposing Aadhaar for the same reasons and I am told I am a Congress die hard. No one wants to see why I oppose Aadhaar as it is too difficult. Plus Aadhaar is FREE so why not get one ? Ram Krishnaswamy

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.-Mahatma Gandhi

In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place.Mahatma Gandhi

“The invasion of privacy is of no consequence because privacy is not a fundamental right and has no meaning under Article 21. The right to privacy is not a guaranteed under the constitution, because privacy is not a fundamental right.” Article 21 of the Indian constitution refers to the right to life and liberty -Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi

“There is merit in the complaints. You are unwittingly allowing snooping, harassment and commercial exploitation. The information about an individual obtained by the UIDAI while issuing an Aadhaar card shall not be used for any other purpose, save as above, except as may be directed by a court for the purpose of criminal investigation.”-A three judge bench headed by Justice J Chelameswar said in an interim order.

Legal scholar Usha Ramanathan describes UID as an inverse of sunshine laws like the Right to Information. While the RTI makes the state transparent to the citizen, the UID does the inverse: it makes the citizen transparent to the state, she says.

Good idea gone bad
I have written earlier that UID/Aadhaar was a poorly designed, unreliable and expensive solution to the really good idea of providing national identification for over a billion Indians. My petition contends that UID in its current form violates the right to privacy of a citizen, guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. This is because sensitive biometric and demographic information of citizens are with enrolment agencies, registrars and sub-registrars who have no legal liability for any misuse of this data. This petition has opened up the larger discussion on privacy rights for Indians. The current Article 21 interpretation by the Supreme Court was done decades ago, before the advent of internet and today’s technology and all the new privacy challenges that have arisen as a consequence.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP Rajya Sabha

“What is Aadhaar? There is enormous confusion. That Aadhaar will identify people who are entitled for subsidy. No. Aadhaar doesn’t determine who is eligible and who isn’t,” Jairam Ramesh

But Aadhaar has been mythologised during the previous government by its creators into some technology super force that will transform governance in a miraculous manner. I even read an article recently that compared Aadhaar to some revolution and quoted a 1930s historian, Will Durant.Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Rajya Sabha MP

“I know you will say that it is not mandatory. But, it is compulsorily mandatorily voluntary,” Jairam Ramesh, Rajya Saba April 2017.

August 24, 2017: The nine-judge Constitution Bench rules that right to privacy is “intrinsic to life and liberty”and is inherently protected under the various fundamental freedoms enshrined under Part III of the Indian Constitution

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the World; indeed it's the only thing that ever has"

“Arguing that you don’t care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don’t care about free speech because you have nothing to say.” -Edward Snowden

In the Supreme Court, Meenakshi Arora, one of the senior counsel in the case, compared it to living under a general, perpetual, nation-wide criminal warrant.

Had never thought of it that way, but living in the Aadhaar universe is like living in a prison. All of us are treated like criminals with barely any rights or recourse and gatekeepers have absolute power on you and your life.

Announcing the launch of the # BreakAadhaarChainscampaign, culminating with events in multiple cities on 12th Jan. This is the last opportunity to make your voice heard before the Supreme Court hearings start on 17th Jan 2018. In collaboration with @no2uidand@rozi_roti.

UIDAI's security seems to be founded on four time tested pillars of security idiocy

1) Denial

2) Issue fiats and point finger

3) Shoot messenger

4) Bury head in sand.

God Save India

Saturday, January 13, 2018

12730 - Aadhaar Articles dated 13th January 2018



NDTV
If you have lost your Aadhaar number, don't panic as you can get it back using your mobile and the UIDAI website. If you have misplaced your Aadhaar card or need the Aadhaar number or Unique Identification Number (UID), or can't locate the Aadhaar enrolment ID (EID), you can request the UIDAI to ...





The Hindu
Aadhaar is entering its ninth year and yet it is being called a project that is in its infancy,” said Mr. Godavarthi. He added that media and citizens have not been very successful in tracking Aadhaar's failure. “We feel that Aadhaar in its current form is unconstitutional and flawed by design. The problems ...






The Hindu
The Vattampoyil Area Resident Welfare Association at Kallai has achieved the distinction of getting all the residents in its area enrolled for Aadhaar. Association president Prakash Kalathinkal and general secretary B.V. Muhammed Ashraf said all members of the 133 families in the area had now been ...






Live Law
The relevant part of the directive issued by Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra reads: “While examining the surety papers, the trial court shall necessarily obtain copy of the Aadhaar card of the accused as well as of the surety.” The court issued these directives while considering a bail application of an ...






NDTV
A privately run night shelter just a few steps away won't allow him in as he doesn't have an Aadhaar card. "I had an Aadhaar card at home, but rats chewed it up. I don't know if I can get another one made. I don't have any other id proof. If we go to a night shelter, private or government, they demand to ...






Business Line
The launch of a virtual id for Aadhaar is, in a sense, an acknowledgement on the part of the UIDAI about its design flaws and breaches into the database. But this could well mean ... Chandrasekhar recalled that Aadhaar Act would itself soon come up for review before the Supreme Court. It will decide ...






Bar & Bench
In an order passed recently, Justice S Vaidyanathan of the Madras High Court directed that those who apply for licences to set up bunk shops by roadsides must furnish a copy of their Aadhaar card to the concerned authorities. A common order was passed last December in a batch of writ petitions filed ...






The Asian Age
The planned introduction of a 16-digit “Virtual ID” for Aadhaar may be a good security measure, but it may have been thought of a little too late. The Virtual ID is a clear response to the credibility hit the Aadhaar system and its database faced following the newspaper expose of how it could be breached ...






The Tribune
His pension had been lying in the local post office for the last six months as the authorities were demanding the Aadhaar card for releasing the money. She said ... Today, they took him on a cot and covered a long distance on foot to catch a bus to Kullu in order to get his Aadhaar card made. However ...






Times Now
... that The Tribune newspaper and its reporter Rachna Khaira exposed the leaks in the system and alleged that one billion numbers were available for a mere Rs. 500. That's not all - if a paltry sum of 300 rupees was paid, the buyer could also get a fresh Aadhaar card made with a number of their choice.






Hindustan Times
After the Centre made it mandatory for schools to register Aadhaar numbers of students, teachers and staff, the direction was followed last year in private schools. The government schools and other boards will be covered this year. There are over 17 lakh students enrolled with the government schools.






The Quint
What was started by the government to bring 'transparency in Public Distribution System (PDS), ' has become an obstacle for many to get their share of subsidised food. The Delhi government handed out electronic Point of Sale (e-PoS) devices to all 2,254 Fair Price Shops (FPS) in the national capital ...






The Tribune
An Aadhaar operator was found charging 100 per cent GST on the services without putting it on the official records at a market in Bhogpur. Despite strict directions issued by the UIDAI that the Aadhaar machines could only run from government offices, the machine was found being operated from a booth ...






NewsBytes
Trying to link his mobile number with Aadhaar card, as per government directives, has cost a man in Jaipur Rs. 110,000. SK Brijwani asked a youth to link his SIM with Aadhaar. However, the guy deactivated his number and issued him a new one instead. Using Brijwani's old SIM, he then withdrew Rs.



Deccan Chronicle
Hyderabad: Airtel customers alleged that the telecom major is blocking SIM cards randomly and is asking for Aadhaar details to activate the same. Other telecom players like Vodafone and Idea are facing similar allegations from customers. Customers voiced concern on social media, and said that the ...






Times Now
Now, bull tamers have to furnish Aadhaar in order to participate in Jallikattu ... which is slated to make a comeback this year in Madurai on January 14, is in the news yet again after the district administration made Aadhaar registration mandatory for bull tamers who wish to participate in the event. Now ...






Economic Times
He said that the strict income tax provisions, coupled with Aadhaar linkage, have made it impossible for anyone to conceal their income. He added that stringent action would be initiated against the defaulters. Ghumaria also said that the I-T Department has already filed 84 prosecution against defaulters ...






Gizbot
Ever since the mandatory Aadhaar linking practice came into existence, several reports have started highlighting the dangerous consequences of the same. We say dangerous as the Aadhaar details will be linked to your mobile number and bank account, and with the leak of one of these details, all your ...






News Nation
The government decision to do away with the last page of passports is likely to give a big push to the Aadhaar Cards. The Ministry of External Affairs clarified that Passports will soon stop serving as a valid proof of address. "As the last page of the passport would not be printed now, the passport holders ...