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

Monday, May 2, 2011

1252 - Aadhar' mandatory in Mysore- Source - Business Standard

BS Reporter / Chennai/ Mysore May 02, 2011, 0:57 IST
With registration process under the Unique Identity Card scheme (UID) ‘Aadhar’ ending by June in Mysore district, district authorities have initiated steps making the quoting of UID or enrolment identification (EID) number compulsory at various levels in the state government offices in the district. This seems contrary to what the Unique Identification Authority of India or the UIDAI had said earlier that it would be optional.

This move of the district authorities leaves no chance for one to opt out of the scheme.

So far, 1.67 million people have registered themselves under the UID scheme, launched nationwide by the Unique Identification Authority of India, a Government of India agency. Reviewing the enrolment progress at a meeting last week, Deputy Commissioner Harsh Gupta said the issue of compulsory quoting UID or EID number to obtain benefits under the Central or state government schemes was in their final stages as the ongoing enrollment process would end by June and because complaints of misuse of benefits continued to be received.
It would be made compulsory for all schemes, including the employment guarantee scheme. It would be a must for opening bank account, for obtaining telephone connection from the BSNL or private service providers or for purchasing cell phones, for obtaining or renewing registration certificates from the Commercial Tax Department, for trade licences issued by the Regulated Market authorities or the gram panchayats, for payment of the Income-Tax and obtaining excise or gun licences.

Quoting UID/EID number was also being made compulsory for vehicle registration or for getting driving licenses and other formalities at the regional transport offices and for obtaining licences for construction, house site or building documents, or for any other work in the Mysore City Corporation limits. It will also become compulsory for drawing salary and other financial assistance in all government treasuries in the district. Steps were also being taken to mention Aadhar number in RTCs.

The issue of making UID or EID number compulsory in all industrial establishments would be finalised after discussing it with industry organisations. Providing a copy of the Aadhar number would serve the purpose, the DC said, adding these steps were being taken to check the misuse of benefits and to ensure the benefits reach the deserving.

If there is delay in receiving the ‘Aadhar’ cards, Gupta suggested those who had registered to call the phone number mentioned on the EID registration form or log on to the e-mail id, uidai.gov.in and feed all the required particulars. It would show the process position of the card.

He appealed to all those who have not registered so far to do so without delay, as the last date would not be extended.