The Government on Monday introduced the Bill to allow voluntary use of Aadhaar as identity proof and reservations in jobs at Jammu & Kashmir to replace the Ordinances. Opposing the Aadhaar Bill, RSP MP NK Premchandaran said it was a “grave violation” of the Supreme Court’s judgement on Aaadhar. He argued that private entities can get hold of Aadhaar data and violate fundamental rights especially the Right of Privacy.

Responding to the RSP MP, Union Information and Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Aadhaar is a valid law, it is in national interest and doesn’t violate privacy. He said so far more than 60 crore people have taken mobile SIM cards through Aadhaar and now it is not mandatory. Suggesting the Bill is in line with the apex court judgement, Prasad said people of India have accepted Aadhaar.

The Bill proposes to allow voluntary use of Aadhaar number for authentication and identity proof in opening of bank accounts and procuring of mobile phone connections. The Bill also seeks to give a child an option to exit from the biometric ID programme on attaining 18 years of age, while stipulating stiff penalties for violation of norms set for use of Aadhaar and violation of privacy. The move is aimed at making Aadhaar people-friendly. It also paves the way for use of alternative virtual identity number to conceal actual Aadhaar number of an individual, said Prasad.

The Bill also proposes deletion of section 57 of the Aadhaar Act relating to use of biometric identifier by private entities. This amendment will also prevent denial of services for refusing to, or being unable to, undergo authentication. Besides this, the proposed amendments provide for establishment of Unique Identification Authority of India Fund, and confer enhanced regulator-like power on the UIDAI.

The Jammu & Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was introduced by Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy on behalf of Home Minister Amit Shah who was present in the House. People living along the International Border (IB) in Jammu & Kashmir will get benefits of reservation in direct recruitment, promotion and admission in professional courses on par with those living along the Actual Line of Control (ALoC), according to a Bill introduced in the Lok Sabha.

The Bill seeks to provide relief to people living in areas adjoining the International Border in Jammu & Kashmir. They can now avail benefits of reservation in direct recruitment, promotion and admission in different professional courses. People living in areas adjoining the IB in Jammu & Kashmir were not included in the ambit of the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004 and Rules, 2005.

Due to continuous cross-border tensions, persons living along the IB suffer from socio-economic and educational backwardness. Shelling from across the border often compels residents to move to safer places, which adversely impacts their education as schools and colleges remain closed for long periods.