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, September 18, 2017

12065 - 49,000 Aadhaar centres blacklisted for fleecing: Here's how to avoid getting conned - Economic Times

49,000 Aadhaar centres blacklisted for fleecing: Here's how to avoid getting conned

BY DEVANSH SHARMA, ECONOMICTIMES.COM | UPDATED: SEP 16, 2017, 04.05 PM IST

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A recent revelation by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) that it has blacklisted over 49,000 Aadhaar enrolment centres since its inception for fleecing and overcharging enrollers is a matter of concern for those who are yet to obtain Aadhaar or need to make corrections. 

Given that Aadhaar has become a vital document, it is important for us to ensure that we do not fall prey to these unscrupulous elements. The ill intentions of 'enrolment officials' fleecing consumers also raises a huge security concern. 

Therefore, if you are visiting an enrolment centre to get your Aadhaar details corrected or are applying for a new one, you must keep the following things in mind. 

1. Currently, there is no fee to apply for a new Aadhaar card. It is clearly stated on the Aadhaar website that enrolment is free of cost. Hence, you don't have to pay anything at the enrolment centre. 

Reportedly most of these blacklisted centres have been charging between Rs 50 and Rs 200 for printing Aadhaar on a plastic card similar to a smart card. However, it must be noted that there is no such thing as a smart Aadhaar card. An Aadhaar letter or Aadhaar downloaded from the UIDAI website is sufficient, according to UIDAI press release. 

2. According to the UIDAI website, if you are visiting the enrolment centre for updating your name, demographic or biometric data, you have to pay Rs. 25 to the service provider each time you get your details updated. This fee is applicable if you visit the enrolment centre, not if you do it online. Understandably, for updating the biometric data, one has to pay a personal visit to the enrolment centre and a fee will be charged. 

Details like date of birth, name, address email, mobile number can be updated online. Since these services are authenticated via an OTP, linking mobile number to Aadhaar is must for updating your details online. 

Also Read: How to correct Aadhaar details online and offline 

3. Even if someone loses his Aadhaar card, he can download it free of cost from the UIDAI website: https://eaadhaar.uidai.gov.in. 

Also Read: How to link mobile number to Aadhaar 

4. If you've mentioned your mobile number while filling out the Aadhaar application and it gets rejected, the same will be communicated by SMS. As per the UIDAI website, Aadhaar generation involves various quality checks, so there are chances that your Aadhaar can get rejected due to quality or other technical reasons. 

Therefore, if your Aadhaar application is rejected, it is recommended to re-enrol yourself. 

If you are suspicious of the activities carried out at an enrolment centre, for instance, if the officials are overcharging or if they are quoting a supposed revised fee or new UIDAI policies, here is how you can bring it to the notice of UIDAI. 

1. Write an email raising your concern to UIDAI at help@uidai.gov.in 
2. If you're unsure about the protocol or the applicable fee, call the UIDAI helpline on 1947. 

Locating an Aadhaar enrolment centre 
It is recommended to visit only authorised common service centers or permanent enrolment centres for Aadhaar related services. On the UIDAI website's homepage ( https://uidai.gov.in/ ), under Aadhaar online services, there's an option to "Locate Enrolment and Update Centres".