Consumers question why private service providers insist on registering biometric details

Linking of Aadhaar numbers with various services continues to be a troubling task to the public. The latest being linking it with mobile phone numbers. In some cases, the fingerprints don’t seem to match, especially those of senior citizens.

Also, consumers are feeling uncomfortable with sharing their biometric data with private service providers. Ecologist and senior citizen Sultan Ahmed Ismail, who narrated a bitter experience at the showroom of a private service provider in Adyar, said even a complaint with their customer care did not help.

“I have linked my bank account, PAN card, family card and LPG ID with Aadhaar but I was not asked to share my fingerprints with any of these agencies, only my Aadhaar number. What right does a private agency have over my data and how safe is it with them,” he wondered, adding that the entire procedure had to be scrapped.

Fingerprint mismatch

Several senior citizens complained that the fingerprints taken to register for services did not match with those taken during Aadhaar number registration. Eighty-three old G. Ramamoorthy said some senior citizens were provided Aadhaar cards without biometric data as their fingerprints had vanished due to ageing. It was difficult to link mobile numbers without fingerprints for senior citizens.

Senior citizens like S.M. Chellaswamy, resident of Gopalapuram, expressed concern over misuse of such personal details. “It is enough that the telecom service providers seek Aadhaar number to link mobile numbers,” he said. Several people complained that they had to visit the customer care centres at least twice before their mobile numbers were linked with Aadhaar numbers due to various reasons.

V. Rajagopal of Anna Nagar West, said, “My neighbour had to visit twice the customer care office as the device failed to recognise his fingerprints. I was told the server was down twice and had to return for fear of disconnection of service.”

Misuse of data

Despite providing Aadhaar details to replace ration cards with smart cards, Mr. Rajagopal has got many details such as his name wrong in the smart card. “I am also concerned about misuse of data as I get calls seeking my personal details for mobile phone connections,” he added.

Consumer activist T. Sadagopan raised the issue of Aadhaar numbers getting linked with mobile wallets and LPG subsidy being credited to them.

“When we complained to the LPG agency, they asked us to cancel link with the bank account and connect it with such mobile wallets. I am not sure whether banks will agree to do such things,” he said.

M.R. Krishnan, deputy director of Consumers Association of India, said the demand by private mobile phone providers for fingerprints was tantamount to intrusion into the privacy of an individual. “Unfortunately, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has permitted them to do so without any proper mechanism. We will write to them asking for a review,” he said.

Official sources in the Census Department said that biometric data of close to 7.3 crore residents of Tamil Nadu had been completed so far. Aadhaar coverage was now crossing seven crore since children in the age group of 0 -5 years were also being included.

Asked about issues with finger impressions when linking Aadhaar with mobile numbers, he said that usually the best of three impressions was taken and even when that does not match, iris matching was done. If everything failed then there was always the allowance under exceptional circumstances, he said adding that in some cases the biometry had to be repeated at the Aadhaar centres.