AADHAAR RELATED ARTICLES: Telcos

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

Showing posts with label Telcos. Show all posts

Sunday, April 29, 2018

13394 - Telcos says that they were merely following guidelines set by the DoT for Aadhaar-SIM linking - First Post

Telcos says that they were merely following guidelines set by the DoT for Aadhaar-SIM linking

News-Analysis tech2 News Staff

Apr 28, 2018 13:04 PM IST

In response to the Supreme Court mandate which said that it never ordered re-verification of mobile phone numbers with the help of Aadhaar numbers, the telcos in their defence came out to say that they have been following the guidelines set by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).

According to a previous report, it was revealed that despite no orders for linking, telcos have been reportedly sending reminders to its subscribers via SMS or e-mails.

On day 33 of the Aadhaar hearings when senior counsel, Rakesh Dwivedi reiterated certain orders and recommendation which suggested Aadhaar-SIM linking, the SC denied any such order passed in the Lokniti foundation case.

Later Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) head Rajan Mathews said that the SC never said that re-verification must be halted, instead, it had extended the date of re-verification indefinitely. Therefore, the telcos have been sending email/SMS to consumers. He also said that the telcos under the Telegraph Act of 1885 are mandated to observe all reasonable directions issued by the DoT.

According to a report by the Economic Times, people have been receiving emails/SMS from telcos to verify their mobile numbers with Aadhaar card. Those who want to port their numbers or buy a new SIM have been asked to link their Aadhaar number for verification.

Currently, the Supreme Court is hearing petitions related to the Aadhaar to decide the validity of the Aadhaar number and the laws surrounding it.

#Aadhaar #Aadhaar Number #Cellular Operators Association Of India #Department Of Telecommunications #NewsTracker #Rajan Mathews

Updated Date: Apr 28, 2018 13:04 PM

13392 - Telecom companies should follow SC’s order and not pursue mandatory Aadhaar-linking - TOI

Telecom companies should follow SC’s order and not pursue mandatory Aadhaar-linking

April 27, 2018, 4:28 PM IST Quick Edit in TOI Editorials | India | TOI

The Supreme Court’s clarification on Wednesday that it had never asked for linking of Aadhaar with mobile phone numbers seems to have fallen on deaf ears. Besides continuing with the pesky calls and spam text messages, mobile phone retailers are refusing to issue new SIM cards to people without Aadhaar, the biometric-based 12-digit unique identity number. It has affected most Indians, but especially inter-state migrant professionals, labourers, senior citizens and visiting Non-Resident Indians.

What’s lamentable is that the apex court’s clarification itself indicates that its judgments are either lost in translation or are disregarded willfully by both the government and the telecom companies, that too, without any consequences or penalties in India. The government, in its over-zealousness to exercise its powers and expand the role of the state in private life of citizens, misinterpreted the court’s directive, which had held that the verification of mobile phone users was in the interest of national security. Million of consumers have been subjected to harassment through calls and messages and unnecessary inconvenience by sending them in droves and long queues to mobile provider retail centers.

It is lamentable that this continues to happen though it has been over a month since the Supreme Court ruled that the Aadhaar linkage should not be pursued until a Constitution bench decides on the matter.

The telecom companies have absolved themselves of all responsibility by saying that they have simply been complying with the government’s orders and the court did not direct them to abandon the linking process. This is preposterous because the apex court’s instruction is an unambiguous binding not only on the government but corporations too. The Union telecom ministry should urgently withdraw its earlier diktat and Indian telecom companies immediately need to stop badgering consumers with annoying calls and text messages for Aadhaar linking.

Saturday, April 28, 2018

13377 - Telecom companies ignore Supreme Court, pester users on Aadhaar link - TNN

Telecom companies ignore Supreme Court, pester users on Aadhaar link

Pankaj Doval | TNN |

Updated: Apr 27, 2018, 08.49AM IST

HIGHLIGHTS

Many cellphone users reported getting fresh messages pestering them over Aadhaar linkage, despite the SC's statement.
To make matters worse, retailers have now started refusing to issue new SIM cards to people who do not have an Aadhaar number.

NEW DELHI: On Wednesday, the Supreme Court clarified that it had never asked for mobile phones to be linked to Aadhaar numbers. So, can you look forward to being spared from constant pesky calls and unwanted messages, mails and notifications from mobile service providers urging you to link or verify your numbers with the government's digital directory? Don't count on it.

On Thursday, many cellphone users reported getting fresh messages pestering them over Aadhaar linkage, despite the SC's statement. But then, telecom service providers seem to have made a habit of ignoring the SC. Even though the apex court had made it clear more than a month ago that the Aadhaar linkage issue should not be pursued until a constitutional bench finally decides on the matter, companies such as Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular have been relentlessly – and rather annoyingly – hounding subscribers.

Friday, April 27, 2018

13372 - Telcos say just obeyed DoT orders on linking mobile nos with Aadhaar - Economic Times

Telcos say just obeyed DoT orders on linking mobile nos with Aadhaar

BY GULVEEN AULAKH, ET BUREAU | UPDATED: APR 27, 2018, 07.59 AM IST

Mobile phone operators said they were only following directions of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), as license holders of telecom services, while pushing subscribers for Aadhaar-based verification of mobile phone connections.

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which represents all carriers including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone India, Idea Cellular and Reliance Jio, Thursday added that as licensees, the companies were bound by the conditions in the license to obey all reasonable rules issued by the telecom department.

The comments come a day after the Supreme Court said it didn’t mandate seeding of mobile numbers with Aadhaar and added that its earlier order on mandatory authentication of the users was used as a "tool" by the government.

"Regarding the issue of mobile subscriber verification by TSPs (telecom service providers), we would like to highlight that the TSPs are the licensees under the Telegraph Act, 1885, and are bound by the license conditions to observe all the reasonable/justifiable directions issued by the Licensor, i.e., Department of Telecommunication (DoT)," COAI said in response to queries from ET

"Our member operators have been consistently following the direction issue by their Licensor in so far as the Aadhaar based e-KYC is concerned,” it added.

The association however declined to comment on whether the DoT mandate asking telcos for Aadhaar-based verification was done incorrectly or not.

The DoT didn’t comment on the matter through Thursday.

“We would like to point out that COAI is not a party to Aadhaar proceedings in the Supreme Court and therefore will refrain from commenting on DoT’s understanding or interpretation of the Supreme Court order,” the association said.

The government, especially the DoT, has been left red faced for having apparently misinterpreted the Supreme Court's February 6, 2017 observation and mandated linking of mobile phone numbers with Aadhaar. The process itself, and the incessant messaging by telcos urging users to link their mobile numbers with Aadhaar, had become a sore point among millions of users, especially the elderly or handicapped who found it difficult to get to an outlet of a telco. Telcos were then forced to come out with alternate ways for reverification of such subscribers as well as foreign nationals.

But the SC on Wednesday clarified that it had not directed linking of SIM with UID at all, even though the Union government's circular said so. "There was no direction by the court," the court said.

DoT has always maintained that it has been mandated by the Supreme Court to re-verify all mobile numbers and had set the deadline of February 6, 2018, which was later extended to March 31.

Last month, the DoT extended the time limit for re-verifying mobile numbers through Aadhaar, till the time the Supreme Court decides on an ongoing case on the validity of the identity number and its enabling law.

It even added that all communications including voice or text messages sent by carriers to their subscribers should not include any last date for re-verification.

Friday, September 4, 2015

8651 - Indian telcos hope to use Aadhaar biometric database for faster subscriber verification - Biometric Update

Indian telcos hope to use Aadhaar biometric database for faster subscriber verification

By Justin Lee

September 2, 2015 -

Indian telecom operators plan to turn to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in an effort to get approval for using the Aadhaar biometric database to speed up subscriber verification since the home ministry is said to have objected to the idea citing security concerns, according to a report by the Economic Times.

The move comes a few weeks after India’s Supreme Court placed a cease order on the national Indian government concerning the use of Aadhaar data. Last week, the Court barred the country’s Election Commission from linking electoral data to the Aadhaar system until the greater question of privacy and the use of the biometric system itself is settled.

The telecos have requested to use the Aadhaar database to transition to an online system of subscriber verification, however, the home ministry has stated that it does not feel as though the biometric data will be sufficient enough information to establish a customer’s address.

Those carriers operating on GSM and CDMA platforms will see the help of the PMO, which had previously recommended the digitization of the mobile subscriber verification process as part of the government’s ‘Digital India’ initiative.

The operators are planning to write to the PMO asking it to use the Aadhaar database to sell SIM cards or connections to provide a more convenient, secure and cost-effective system than the current system, according to one of the sources.

Although the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) supports the idea of Aadhaar-based verification, the home ministry has not yet put the protocol into place.

“The home ministry isn’t convinced that biometric authentication is a foolproof system for establishing a mobile customer’s proof of address,” said one of the sources.

The existing system of verification requires employees to fill out a lot of paperwork and comes in the way of market expansion, said one of the telecom companies.

The Apex Advisory Council for Telecom in India, which is a joint telecom industry initiative of the Cellular Operators Association of India and Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India, will likely send a letter to the PMO recommending it advise the DoT to eliminate the current subscriber verification process and implement the Aadhar e-KYC service on a permanent basis as soon as possible.

In the past few months, India’s leading mobile carriers including Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular, Vodafone India and emerging 4G carrier Reliance Jio Infocomm successfully completed a mobile subscriber verification pilot program using Aadhaar in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow and Bhopal.