UIDAI CEO Ajay Pandey has informed to public at large that UIDAI has advised all
telecom companies operating in India to enable a facility that will allow
subscribers to check the mobile SIMs which are linked to their Aadhaar number.
The
primary reason for this facility is to guard Aadhaar Numbers being linked to
unauthorized mobiles.
Instead
of the word ‘unauthorised’, the words ‘unknown’, or ‘mysterious’, are more apt.
UIDAI
provides an ‘Aadhaar authentication history’, tool to enable Aadhaar holders to
verify when their Aadhaar number was verified. However as UIDAI does not store
the authentication purpose, it is of limited usage.
Aadhaar
is becoming the default identity proof of residents by various government and
non-government entities.
Telecom
companies have been mandated to link the cellphone SIMS with Aadhaar Numbers. This
is to establish the identity of mobile phone users.
Against
the 142.9 crore active mobile subscribers, in 85.7 crore cases the mobile
connections have already been linked with Aadhaar.
And, it
is here where the problems have surfaced. UIDAI came to know about some
retailers, operators and agents of telecom companies allegedly misusing Aadhaar
authentication facility to issue new SIMs or for re-verification of numbers
other than that of the Aadhaar holder. Such complaints must have reached a very
high number for UIDAI to take corrective steps.
When
contacted, UIDAI CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey told PTI, “In order, for people, to
know which mobile number is linked to Aadhaar, all telecom operators have been
asked to provide this service to their customers by March 15.”
Hence, UIDAI
(Unique Identification Authority of India) has directed all telecom operators
to provide a facility that will enable their subscribers to check if the mobile
SIMs are linked with their Aadhaar number, a step to guard against any
unauthorised use.
UIDAI has
directed telcos to make the new facility available to subscribers by March 15.
The
telcos have been asked to provide the facility, including SMS-based offering
that will allow their subscribers to check whether their mobile number is
linked with Aadhaar as well as information on other mobile numbers is issued or
verified against that Aadhaar number.
As the
deadline approaches, there would be more clarity on the exact process flow
including the redressal channel.
Once the
process goes live, it is advisable for every mobile holder to make use of this facility
atleast once every week.
This is
best way to safeguard your Aadhaar number.
Would it
be better to integrate this facility into ‘Mycall’ Trai App??
Additional
Reading:
How to
Check Aadhaar
Authentication History Online
Aadhaar
linking to bank accounts, welfare services may be extended beyond March 31
Regulatory
policies must change to cater to digital world: Trai chief
