AADHAAR RELATED ARTICLES: 12912 - No RBI extension of KYC for e-wallets like Paytm, link today if you want to keep using them

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

Friday, March 2, 2018

12912 - No RBI extension of KYC for e-wallets like Paytm, link today if you want to keep using them - India Today

No RBI extension of KYC for e-wallets like Paytm, link today if you want to keep using them

Sanket Vijayasarathy
New Delhi
February 27, 2018
UPDATED 17:30 IST

In case you've not been following, tomorrow will be the last day to submit your KYC details to prepaid payment instrument (PPIs) like Paytm and Mobikwik. Despite requests to extend the deadline, the Reserve Bank of India has maintained that February 28 will be the last date for mandatory KYC-compliance by prepaid wallet customers.

Update: Today i.e February 28 is the last date to complete KYC formalities with your PPI. After today, you will not be able to add money into your wallet without verification via either Aadhaar, passport, voter ID or driving license. Note that customers will be able to use other wallet services as usual without linking their proof.

There are around 55 non-banking PPIs and 50 wallets promoted by banks. Mobile payments services like Paytm, Mobikwik, Ola Money and Amazon Pay are some of the most popular PPIs that are required to receive you KYC details. Exceptions are apps like the Google tez, which are based on UPI and hence do not right now require KYC.

What is KYC and how to link your account

KYC (Know Your Customer) basically allows businesses to identify their customers via certain document proofs for example your Aadhaar number, passport, voter ID, driving license among others. Any one of these documents will allow businesses to verify your identity. The RBI is pushing for PPI-KYC linking to improve secure transactions. B.P. Kanungo, deputy governor of RBI, added that the KYC will also bring in inter-operability wherein users of one e-wallet will be able to transact with users of another e-wallet.

KYC process shown in Paytm

In order to complete the KYC formalities, you will need to access the PPI(s) that you use. Most wallets have been showing prompts to complete your KYC process. Some of them, like Paytm, are also offering some exclusive benefits such as access to Paytm Payments Bank, seamless fun transfer, cashbacks and some other offers. Once you provide your KYC detail, you will likely be asked to complete your verification by either carrying your original document to a nearby KYC Point or requesting an agent to visit you at your preferred address for verification. The process for other wallets should be along the same lines.

Will e-wallet customers lose their money?

With the deadline soon approaching, there have been concerns raised by e-wallet customers on whether their money kept in PPIs will be lost if they fail to provide their KYC detail in time. However, the RBI has assured that customers will not lose their money and will be able to make transactions with the remaining amount of money that has been stored in their PPIs. However, customers will need to complete the KYC requirement to load their wallets with money again.

"PPI (Pre-paid instrument) issuers not obtaining the KYC related inputs of their customers within the timeline, the customer will not lose their money, Kanungo said. Reloading of the PPI and remittances can resume after completing the KYC requirement.

What happens if you do not link your account?

After February 28, customers will not be able to load more money into their PPI unless they complete the KYC formalities. So you essentially have the choice to close your wallet account and transfer the remaining balance to your bank before February 28 or submit your KYC and continue using the app as usual. PPIs, in the meanwhile, have complained that KYC requirement is a tedious process and may result in losing business if customers refuse to provide more personal detail.

PPIs fear that the move will see a drop in the number of wallet users. BookMyShow, for example, has already thrown in the towel on its wallet service, My Wallet, and will soon discontinue the service. Companies like Paytm, which is primarily a wallet service, could be hit even harder. The RBI, however, maintains that KYC will add another level of security to digital payments, so customers will need to make that call soon.