Deadline for linking Aadhaar to govt schemes extended to March'18
The Centre has extended the deadline for linking Aadhaar to government schemes till March 31, 2018. Till then, there will be no coercive action against those who don't have Aadhaar, nor will they be denied benefits, Advocate General KK Venugopal said. This comes even as the SC hears petitions that have challenged government directives mandating linking of Aadhaar to mobile numbers and bank accounts.
Decision in the wake of Aadhaar-linked deaths
This comes after at least two reported deaths linked to Aadhaar. Last week, an 11-year-old girl in Jharkhand died allegedly of starvation, months after their ration card was cancelled as it wasn't linked to Aadhaar. Recently, another woman in Jharkhand claimed her husband had died of starvation as they didn't have a ration card; they had Aadhaar though.
Meanwhile, many are being harassed by private banks and telcos
The government is trying to link Aadhaar to almost every service, be it phones, PAN card, or bank accounts. Before today, the deadline for linking it to banks was December 31, 2017, and to mobile phone numbers was February 6, 2018. But many have complained about telcos/banks calling continuously urging them to immediately link the two or face disconnection/deactivation.
Is this being done in accordance with norms?
Sources had said Aadhaar-SIM linkage is being done in accordance with the SC verdict passed in the Lokniti foundation case of February'17. Lokniti had sought the scrutiny of subscribers so that those with fraudulent identities can be nabbed. The SC had asked the government to act. The Centre said it would enforce a mechanism to verify prepaid SIM card-holders within a year.
What about the recent right to privacy judgement?
In August, a Supreme Court bench unanimously ruled that "every citizen had a fundamental right to privacy". If this is true then it casts doubt on whether Aadhaar is valid, let alone it being linked to bank accounts and mobile phones. The privacy judgment is scheduled for November and only then will the nation gain clarity on this.
