Will the Minister of ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Union Government has issued directions and made it mandatory for all mobile users in the country to link Aadhaar number with mobile SIM cards;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the reason and purpose to link Aadhaar number with mobile SIM cards; and
(d) the total number of mobile SIMs are linked with Aadhaar number as on date, State/UT-wise?
) to (d): No, Sir. No directions were issued by Department of Telecommunications for making mandatory for all mobile users in the Country to link Aadhaar number with mobile SIM cards. However, the Aadhaar based E-KYC (Electronic-Know Your Customer) process was adopted as an alternative mechanism of KYC for issuance of new mobile connections on 16.08.2016 and a method of re-verification of existing mobile subscribers on 23.03.2017.
Subsequently, in pursuance of Hon’ble Supreme Court’s judgment & order dated 26.09.2018 in W.P. (C) No. 494 of 2012 in the matter of Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Rtd.) & Anr. Vs UoI & Ors., the Department of Telecommunications, vide its order dated 26.10.2018 (copy available at the link: http://dot.gov.in/sites/default/files/Discontinuation%20of%20E-KYC%20-%20Order%20dated%2026.10.2018.PDF), had discontinued the use of Aadhaar based E-KYC service of UIDAI for issuing new mobile connections to subscribers and re-verification of existing mobile subscribers. However, subsequently vide an ordinance, it has been allowed on a voluntary basis to be used.
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