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

Thursday, March 7, 2013

3118 - All you want to know about UID & NPR


  
All you want to know about UID & NPR

Thousands across the country can't fathom why they must spend hours getting enrolled for both UID and NPR. With no clear answers, they don't have an option to queuing up at both counters. That's largely because of the conflicting signals they've been getting ever since the projects were launched. 

First, it was said UID wasn't mandatory. Then state governments started tagging the Aadhaar number to services such as doles, gas connections, marriage and property registrations and a host of other services. This triggered the UID rush. 

Then, people got to know NPR was a must-have, skip all the camps and you're struck off the rolls. Then it's a whole new process getting back on the national list of residents. 

Here is a look at how UID is different from NPR and important facts you need to know about both


UIDAI is being rolled out in 16 states, NPR is a nationwide project. A lot of the confusion is in the states where both projects are gathering data concurrently. UP, for instance, is a non-UID state. Delhi has both. 

NPR, based on demographic data collected during Census 2011, proposes to issue cards bearing Aadhaar numbers. A resident of an NPR state need not bother about UID. 

Do not forget: 

> Home ministry holds NPR camps across the country and you'll be individually intimated about these 

> UIDAI-issued Aadhaar process is optional and has to be initiated by you. Either go to UIDAI website and take an appointment at the designated centres or visit the local govt set-up. 16 states have rolled out UIDAI Aadhaar project 

> A visit to an NPR camp is a must. If you are enrolled with UIDAI, take details to NPR camp. Your biometrics won't be collected again 

> Aadhaar is the unique number both NPR & UIDAI issue based on biometric data. If NPR rejects UIDAI data, you won't be registered 

> Even with a valid Aadhaar number, NPR can turn you away if you don't match their criteria 

> Remain alert to announcements in media, react to intimation from both the authorities. Find out Aadhaar status in your state. For instance, in Delhi, Aadhaar is mandatory to avail 20 govt services, not optional 



Explaining NPR


Register of "usual residents" being put together all over country: Who is a usual resident? Someone who has stayed in an area for 6 mths or a person who'll stay in an area for next 6 months 

Is it a smart card? Likely. NPR may issue a Resident Identity Card with photo, Aadhaar number & biometrics stored on 64KB micro-processor chip. This enables off-line authentication of individuals using handheld devices 

Components: Demographic (Census 2011), photo, biometrics (10 fingerprints, 2 iris scans) 

Is it mandatory? Yes. Usual residents data will be used to verify legal residency and ascertain citizenship status Enrolment fee? None 

Will non-citizens be in it? Yes. All usual residents must register. But, being in NPR doesn't confer right to claim citizenship 

What about NRIs? They won't be in NPR as long as they are non-resident 

How does one register in NPR? Through enrolment camps. In Census 2011, enumerators collected details needed for NPR on forms from each household. These are already in the database. Biometrics are added at the camps 

How do we know of camps? Media 


More details on NPR
What if census hasn't covered you? Fill in new NPR form at camp. This goes to government. After verification, biometrics will be captured at next camp 

What if you miss camps? Every area will have two camps. If you miss one, go to the next. If you miss both, enrol at camps at sub-district level. If you miss all, your name will be struck off NPR 

Can you re-enter NPR after name is struck off? Yes. Apply afresh with documents at an NPR centre 

Who can you seek help from if there's a problem: At tehsil/taluka, it's tehsildar/mamlatadar/sub-district officer and at district level, DM/deputy commissioner. In each state/UT, director of census operations will co-ordinate all matters relating to NPR numbers have been issued 



The UID-Aadhaar guide

A project to give every resident of India a 12-digit unique number. Uniqueness determined through biometric (fingerprints, iris scan, photograph) and demographic (home address) data 

Who is eligible? Any resident of this country and NRIs can enrol, provided they fulfil the criteria 

Is it a smart card? It's a document with a unique number, not a card 

Is it compulsory? No. It's voluntary 

What's the enrolment fee? No fee. It's free for everyone 

How does one enrol? Visit any authorized Aadhaar enrolment centre, with ID and address proof. | Fill Aadhaar enrolment form | Give biometric and demographic details | You'll get acknowledgement slip to track Aadhaar status online | UIDAI sends you your Aadhaar letter 

Aadhaar and passports: Aadhaar number sufficient to apply for passport | Acts both as proof of address as well as of proof of identity 



States & Aadhaar

In Maharashtra, Aadhaar compulsory to get benefits of 11 education-related state schemes 

Apka Paisa Aapke Haath: This central programme for direct cash transfer is Aadhaar-based. Delhi has made Aadhaar mandatory for 20 key govt services 

Sebi & Aadhaar: Sebi on August 13, 2012, said Aadhaar can be used by investors as valid address proof. These can be used in mutual funds, brokerage firms, portfolio managers and capital market entities 

Bank accounts & Aadhaar: In use as valid ID & address proof to open bank accounts, for telecom, insurance and other services 
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