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, July 12, 2018

13768 - Union Cabinet clears Bill for creating special DNA profile databanks - APN Live


Union Cabinet clears Bill for creating special DNA profile databanks
July 5, 2018


The Union Cabinet has cleared the contentious DNA Technology (Use and Application) regulation bill 2018 that seeks to create DNA data banks across India to store profiles for forensic-criminal investigations.

The proposed Bill also provides for a jail term of up to three years to those who leak the information stored in such facilities.

“The primary intended purpose for enactment of “The DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill” is for expanding the application of DNA-based forensic technologies to support and strengthen the justice delivery system of the country,” said the government statement on the Cabinet decision.

This is the latest version of a Bill that originated as a DNA “profiling” Bill, framed by the Department of Biotechnology, reported The Hindu. The aim of that draft legislation was to set up an institutional mechanism to collect and deploy DNA technologies to identify persons based on samples collected from crime scenes or for identifying missing persons.

However there was opposition, in that some activists argued that the manner in which DNA information was to be collected and the way they were to be stored by forensic laboratories constituted a violation of privacy.

A senior official familiar with the Bill said that several clauses of the Bill were tightened to make it stronger and immune to data abuse.


“This doesn’t aim to create a database of DNA profiles…The databanks can only store information related to criminal investigations and the DNA details of suspects will be deleted,” said Renu Swarup, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, according to The Hindu.

The Bill creates a DNA Profiling Board that would be the final authority that would authorise the creation of State-level DNA databanks, approve the methods of collection and analysis of DNA-technologies.

The bill’s provision would enable cross-matching between persons who have been reported missing and unidentified dead bodies found in various parts of the country on the other.

It would also help to establish the identity of victims in mass disasters, says a press note issued by the Cabinet.

The most important application of the legislation would be in the criminal justice system as it would allow the government to maintain a DNA database for the criminals convicted of heinous crimes.

Over a period of time, the database is expected to lead to better justice delivery and improve conviction rate, which currently stands at 30%. In addition, the bill provides for mandatory accreditation and regulation of DNA laboratories, preventing non-accredited laboratories to test DNA samples.


The statement issued by the government said forensic DNA profiling is of proven value in solving cases involving offences that are categorized as affecting the human body (such as murder, rape, human trafficking, or grievous hurt), and those against property (including theft, burglary, and dacoity).

The aggregate incidence of such crimes in the country, as per the statistics of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) for 2016, is in excess of 3 lakhs per year. Of these, only a very small proportion is being subjected to DNA testing at present, said the statement.

It is expected that the expanded use of this technology in these categories of cases would result not only in speedier justice delivery but also in increased conviction rates, which at present is only around 30%, as per the NCRB Statistics for 2016.

The Bill will be introduced in Parliament during the Monsoon Session beginning July 18, said media reports quoting government sources.

The bill, based on the one prepared by the Law Commission recently, says that national and regional DNA data banks will be set up for maintaining a national database for identification of victims, suspects in cases, undertrials, missing persons and unidentified human remains.

Those leaking the DNA profile information to people or entities who are not entitled to have it, will be punished with a jail term of up to three years and a fine of up to Rs. 1 lakh. Similar punishment has also been provided for those who seek the information on DNA profiles illegally.


Minister for Science Dr Harsh Vardhan, tweeting about the Cabinet decision, said: “Cabinet approved a bill for use & regulation of #DNATechnology. It seeks appln of DNA based #ForensicTechnologies to support & strengthen justice delivery system, devmt of uniform code of practices in all labs & scientific upgradation & streamlining of #DNA_Testing. @DBTIndia”

View image on Twitter



Dr. Harsh Vardhan
✔@drharshvardhan

Cabinet approved a bill for use & regulation of #DNATechnology. It seeks appln of DNA based #ForensicTechnologies to support & strengthen justice delivery system, devmt of uniform code of practices in all labs & scientific upgradation & streamlining of #DNA_Testing. @DBTIndia
8:52 PM - Jul 4, 2018
130
87 people are talking about this
Twitter Ads info and privacy





The Congress criticized it as an assault on fundamental right to privacy. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari tweeted: “DNA Technology(Use and Application) Regulation bill 2018 cleared by Union Cabinet yesterday is a direct assault on fundamental right to privacy. Seeks to legitimise DNA profiling in name of criminal investigations. It is bio-technology version of NATGRID. Needs to be opposed”


Manish Tewari
✔@ManishTewari

DNA Technology(Use and Application) Regulation bill 2018 cleared by Union Cabinet yesterday is a direct assault on fundamental right to privacy. Seeks to legitimise DNA profiling in name of criminal investigations. It is bio-technology version of NATGRID. Needs to be opposed
CLICK ON TITLE TO SEE ORIGINAL ARTICLE - Posted by
Labels: