Aadhaar mobile linking: Deadline remains February 6, says Centre

The Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court that the deadline to link all mobile phone numbers with Aadhaar remains February 6. The Centre reiterated that production of Aadhaar was also mandatory for opening new bank accounts. The centre filed the new affidavit through advocate Zoheb Hossain. Citing an order passed by the apex court, the centre in the affidavit said it was the SC which had approved the norm for mandatory Aadhaar-mobile phone linkage in the Lokniti Foundation case on February 6 with a window of one year, reported the Times of India.

The deadline for linkage of Aadhaar with the mobile phone number cannot be modified by the government unilaterally (as it is fixed by the SC)," the Centre said reports the Times of India, adding that it has decided to extend the deadline for linking Aadhaar with existing bank accounts till March 31.

Earlier on Monday, while hearing a separate petition challenging the mandatory linking of mobile phones with Aadhhar, the apex court had asked the government to file its response in next four weeks. 

On March 23, the Department of Telecommunications had issued a notice, making it mandatory for all telecom companies to re-verify existing customers through the Aadhaar-based E-KYC process, by February 6, 2018. The directive was applicable to both prepaid and postpaid users. inked to another number provided by the user.

In its fresh affidavit, the Centre said: "Until March 31, existing bank accounts will not be made non-operational for not linking with Aadhaar. But as far as opening new bank accounts are concerned, Aadhaar or enrolment ID must be given as proof of identity. For existing account holders, the deadline for Aadhaarbased verification is being extended to March 31 and no coercive action will be taken till then."

The Supreme Court is currently hearing several cases against the mandatory linking of more than 50 schemes with Aadhaar.