Topic of the Day--Aadhaar(incl Aadhaar and Privacy)

What.?

1.12-Digit number for identification of citizen of India.

Features

1.Unique

2.Financial Address

3.Authentication

4.e-kyc

Information it Collect

Demographic information

Name, Date of Birth (verified) or Age (declared), Gender, Address, Mobile Number (optional) and Email ID (optional)

Biometric information

Ten Fingerprints, Two Iris Scans, and Facial Photograph

Whats not?

1.Profiling on the basis of Caste, religion, income, health and geography.

2.Doesn't confer right of citizenship or domicile

Background

Different ID proof like Rashan Card, Pan Card for different things + fraudulent IDs----Difficulty in Government and other service-----Need for single and authenticated ID proof----fulfilled by Aadhaar

Institutions

1.UIDAI(Unique Identification Authority of India)

??----Statutory/Constitutional/Others-???-----it is a statutory body under Aadhaar act,2017

Benefits

1.Eliminate duplicate and fake identity

2.Primary identifier for several government programmes and scheme

3.Promoting transparency

4.Promoting good governance.

5.Social Inclusion

6.Financial inclusion esp of underprivileged and weaker section of the society

7.Fiscal benefit

8.hassle free delivery of service

9.Promote "Digital india" programme

10.paperless----thus save money.

Issue

1.ambiguity in term of its use as identity as clause 57 says that it can be used for establishing identity of indvidual for any purpose 

2.benwfit of addhar would be lmited to few leakages where issue of duplicate identification is there. In case of PDS issue , addhar rather then benefit may lead to delay, denial due to lack of proper identification and slow connectivity.

3.issue of mass surveillance which is against democratic setup 

4.can lead to coup

5.no voice and choice which is basis of democracy as it become mandatory.

6.cyber attack issue

7.block sale of database

8.national security is loosely defined

9.clarify that benefits cant be denies to those who dont have aadhar no,

10.mass surveillance by state possible--Snowden episode(target surveillance is good to target criminals).

Way Forward

1.better data protection provision.

2.developing cyber capability of the government for the security of data.

3.reducing ambiquity in the act regarding access to the data.

4.Should provide aggreived indvidual to approach court directly rather than UID

Law

1.Aadhaar (target delivery of financial and other subsidies, benefits and services),2017

Provisions

For Security

1.limited edition info:except name,age,sex,dob,address and biometric date of fingerprint,iris, ..no other info can be taken.

2.limited use-onky for which user give consent, access and ratifixation-user can access the info and need to ratify if info is updated.

3.not to be disclosed to any one other then court of joint secretary or higher level that too for limited period on security of country.

------Aadhaar and Privacy--------

Provision in the act which may be used against right of privacy.

1.disclosure of info on order of district judge-judge is mostly not much knowledgeable in IT related field and may not have info--

2.sec-7 -sweeping power to govt to make aadhar mandatory for any services

3.sec-57 : govt can extend application of adhaar to any service--which can be use by govt for targetting activist, whistleblower, political opponents

4.govt can access data as goven in act in case of national security (terrosism, drig smuggling, counter fitting)

Provision in the act which provide security to the data.

1.limited edition info:except name,age,sex,dob,address and biometric date of fingerprint,iris, ..no other info can be taken.

2.limited use-onky for which user give consent, access and ratifixation-user can access the info and need to ratify if info is updated.

3.not to be disclosed to any one other then court of joint secretary or higher level that too for limited period on security of country.

Qustn

1.How is adhaar a tool of distributive and social justice.?