Legal notices to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) are questioning its credentials to begin the process of acquiring biometric data of people to provide them the 12-digit UID number even before the bill has been initiated before parliament. Two legal notices issued to UIDAI chairman Nandan Nilekani on July 5 and July 6 also raise concerns over the UID numbers invading privacy of individuals as these are for multi-utility service use, and would force individuals to leave trails, allowing invasion of their privacy.
Mathew Thomas, general secretary, Citizens’ Action Forum, and VK Somashekhar, founder patron, Coordinated Action of Consumer and Voluntary Organisations of Karnataka, have separately issued legal notices to Nilekani.
“There is a huge business around UID. Without a final report, the UIDAI is randomly signing contracts and paying crores to private agencies for the works,” Venkatesh said. “Is there a guarantee that the private agencies will not misuse the data?”
“The UIDAI says gas connection, bank accounts and utility billings will be linked through the 12-digit UID number. Wherever you go and whatever you buy, your biometric detail will leave information about your private life for the state. Isn’t it a threat to individual privacy then?” Mathew asked.
Ashok Dalwai, deputy director general, technology centre, UIDAI, said: “We have taken care of security, confidentiality and privacy aspects that people are worried about.”
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