AADHAAR RELATED ARTICLES: 4915 - A question of identity

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, November 14, 2013

4915 - A question of identity - Hindustan Times

A question of identity

Furquan Ameen Siddiqui , Hindustan Times November 03, 2013

During a lecture at the Center for Global Development in Washington earlier this year, UIDAI chairman Nandan Nilekani, explained how millions born without any formal registration in India can now demand services and social benefits with Aadhaar.

The project received a setback when the Supreme Court on September 23 said that Aadhaar cannot be made mandatory for availing welfare scheme benefits.

Aadhaar has been courting serious doubts, confusion and uncertainty since its launch in September 2010. Even before the initiation of UID, Nilekani projected Aadhaar as a project that will resolve challenges of identity, financial inclusion, corruption, direct benefit transfers and subsidy reforms.

But could a mammoth programme to collect biometric data of billions of Indians become a key tool to fight poverty and their integration into global economy?

On October 29, Nilekani announced a Aadhaar Diffusion Project jointly set up with Nasscom, in an attempt to encourage entrepreneurs to develop software applications and services using Aadhaar as a platform — to create apps. But there are many who oppose UIDAI for being intrusive.

“The information collected can be used for data profiling or constant surveillance,” says Usha Ramanathan, a law researcher who has been studying UID since its inception.

Over the last year, more and more states and government agencies were making Aadhaar’s use mandatory for a host of services, from buying cooking gas to registering marriages, renting houses.

“The idea was to replace several other forms of documentation. But now with SC strictures on Aadhaar there is confusion again on its fate,” says Bibek Debroy, economist and policy analyst at Centre for Policy and Research.

With the cabinet clearing a bill to give legal backing to UIDAI and probably answer many concerns, the common man is meanwhile still grappling with the confusion on the importance of this unique number to avail benefits and services.

From birth to death: Caught in a web of documentation

Congratulations! You’re born

Get a birth certificate (No charges)

Submit:

Application on a plain paper with a proof of birth which includes statement by medical officer in hospital, persons in charge in case of a birth in jail, dharamshala or by police station in-charge if found in a deserted place.

Affidavit specifying place, date, time and name of the child

Proof of address from head of the family

Mandatory to register within 21 days under Registration of Births & Deaths Act, 1969. Issued by Registrar of births and deaths, local municipal body

Off to school

Submit:

Birth certificate as a proof of age

Proof of address of parent(s)

A medical certificate mentioning records of vaccination, blood group

Below Poverty Line card, income certificate of parent(s) and an affidavit declaring the distance of residence from the school, is required for applying in the EWS category

A Transfer Certificate from the previous school is required while changing schools later in the school life

Going to college

Apply for:

Admission in UG course

Submit:

Proof of age (birth certificate/school-leaving certificate for those born before 1989)

Proof of identity and proof of permanent residence

Domicile certificate (issued by state) to avail domicile quotas in institutions

BPL card of parent(s)to avail fee concession

Caste certificate (SC/ST /OBC certificates) to apply for reserved seats

Sports certificates to avail seats reserved under sports quota

Study abroad

Submit:

Proof of age, identity, residence, eligibility and work experience (if any)

Passport, certificates from High School, Senior Secondary, Graduation or Post Graduation degree (if completed), Diploma certificates

Proof of financial support/income certificate of parent(s)

Student visa

A student loan

Submit:

College admission letter

Collateral documents like property deeds or policies of the guarantor

Proof of identity and residence of the guarantor

Income certificate from the guarantor

First trip abroad

Submit:

Proof of age (Birth certificate)

Proof of permanent or temporary residence (rent agreement)

For minor applicants, residence proof of parent(s) is applicable

Medical certificate stating vaccination records as specified by individual countries

Travel visa

Issued by Consular, Passport and Visa Division of the Ministry of External Affairs

You are an adult now

Eeligible to vote and get a Driving Licence

Voter ID card (No charges)

Submit:

Birth certificate as age proof (or school-leaving certificate)

Proof of residence

Driving Licence (Rs 50 to Rs. 500)

Submit:

Proof of age (birth certificate, school certificate) and proof of residence

Application for learner’s licence is required before applying for a permanent one

All documents are required for a fresh licence along with a requisition letter, in case of an address change. Plus, you need to surrender your licence.

Post Graduation

Submit:

Birth certificate to establish age (or a school-leaving certificate)

Proof of identity and proof of permanent residence/temporary (rent agreement)

Domicile certificate (residence certificate) to avail domicile quotas in educational institutions

BPL card of parent(s) to avail concession in fees

Caste certificate (SC/ST /OBC certificates) to apply for reserved seats

Certificate of graduation

Apply for first job

Submit:

Proof of identity and proof of permanent/temporary residence

School certificates, Diploma, Graduation or PG degrees

Permanent Account Number (PAN)

Caste certificate for reserved seats

Get a PAN card (Rs 94 for Indian resident, Rs. 744 for NRI)

Submit:

Proof of identity

Proof of permanent/temporary residence

Used in filing tax returns, many financial transactions

Get a job card under MGNREGA (No charges)

Submit:

An application for registration through the prescribed form, which the Gram Panchayat verifies later and issues a card

Getting hitched? Paperwork ahead

Change of name, address and bank details

Get marriage certificate (Rs 100 to Rs. 150)

Submit:

Application form signed by both husband and wife

Evidence of date of birth of both

Address proof of husband and previous address of wife

Affidavit stating place, date of marriage, date of birth, marital status at the time of marriage and nationality

Marriage invitation card from both the parties

Change of address/name of wife (Charges vary)

Submit:

Affidavit citing a name change

A copy of current identity

Copies of newspaper advertisement of name change and Gazette notification

Husband’s identity and address proof if taking his surname

Marriage certificate

Looking after your family

Your child is born

Get Birth Certificate (Free)

Submit:

Application of a form along with proof of birth by head of the family or person in charge

Affidavit specifying place, date, time and name of the child

Proof of address and identity

Get your family insured

Life Insurance (Charges vary)

Submit:

Proof of age

Proof of residence and identity

Income proof

Ration card (Rs 10 to Rs. 25)

Submit:

Proof of residence

Form attested by the Circle FSO, area councillor or village sarpanch

Income certificate for a BPL card

Purchase your dream home

Home loan (Charges vary)

Submit:

Identity and residence proof

Salary slip or Income certificate

Form 16 and bank statements for past six months

Property registration (Charges vary)

Submit:

Sale deed and transfer permission from development authority

NOC from state authorities

Copy of approved building plan

Proof of ownership

Life after retirement

Apply for Pension

Submit:

Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN)

Proof of identity and permanent residence

Income certificate

Details of bank account (joint account of husband and wife)

Last salary slip

Make a will (Charges vary)

Submit:

A signed and attested will in presence of two witnesses

In absence of a will, a death certificate can be used to inherit property

Death Certificate (No charges)

Submit:

Application on a plain paper with a proof of death (includes statement by medical officer, persons in charge in case of a death in jail, dharamshala or by police station in-charge if found in a deserted place.

Certificate from the graveyard or cremation authority