The Bill passed on July 8 allows the voluntary use of Aadhaar as proof of identity for opening bank accounts a... Read More

NEW DELHI: Parliament on Monday passed an amendment bill that allows voluntary use of Aadhaar as proof of identity for opening bank accounts and getting mobile phone connections, even as law and information technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the government is framing a robust Data Protection Act after consultations with all stakeholders.

“Data sovereignty is integral to us and will never be compromised,” said Prasad, assuring the Rajya Sabha that a“very comprehensive” Data Protection Act — which would “act like a beacon for the entire world” — would soon be introduced in Parliament.

BJD supported the bill which sailed through in the Upper House where the ruling NDA lacks majority.

Earlier, Congress’s Abhishek Manu Singhvi said Aadhaar, as per the SC judgment, was not a “one nation, one card” scheme. It is neither an exclusive card, nor a certificate of truth. “It is also not a tool of exclusion, not a data collection tool, and not a tool of controlled surveillance or snooping. It cannot be used by non-governmental institutions. Aadhaar is meant only for service, benefit and subsidy,” he said.

Aadhaar collects the most sensitive data and this government has not come up with a Data Protection Act but wants to amend Aadhaar. “It’s astonishing how the government had failed to bring the Data Protection Act…it’s a sinister plan...You are distorting Aadhaar because you want to use it as a tool of control,” he said.

After a detailed debate, the Upper House passed by voice vote the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 , which provides for a stiff Rs 1 crore penalty and a jail term for private entities violating provisions on Aadhaar data.

The amendment bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha last week, provides for use of Aadhaar number for KYC authentication on voluntary basis under the Telegraph Act, 1885, and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.

Opposition parties like Congress, Trinamool, CPM, CPI, SP, BSP and RJD opposed the amendment bill mainly on the ground that the government was trying to “circumvent” the September 2018 Supreme Court judgment that had struck down Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act of 2016, which allowed private entities to seek the data collected. They also attacked the government for “putting the cart before the horse” by failing to enact the Data Protection Act.

But Prasad said the citizen-centric bill was fully in compliance with the SC’s judgment. Criticising the dissenting judgment by Justice D Y Chandrachud in the 4:1 verdict that upheld the validity of the Aadhaar Act, the minister said, “We respect Supreme Court judges but harsh words and sweeping comments like ‘constitutional fraud’ should be avoided.”



In Video: Bill on voluntary use of Aadhaar passed in Rajya Sabha, awaits President's nod