LIVE TV
ZEE Business
ZEE BUSINESS
हिंदी में पढ़ें  हिंदी में पढ़ें
Live TV
Live TV
  • Home
  • Budget 2021
  • Personal Finance
    • PPF
    • Mutual Funds
    • Income tax
    • EPFO
    • Income Tax Calculator
    • Personal Loan Calculator
    • Car Loan Calculator
    • Home Loan Calculator
    • SIP calculator
    • SWP Calculator
    • MF Returns Calculator
    • Lumpsum Calculator
  • India
    • Companies
    • Property
    • Startups
    • Uidai
  • Economy
    • Aviation
  • Tech
    • Mobiles
    • Apps
  • Auto
    • Cars
    • Bikes
  • Markets
    • Commodities
    • Currency
  • Jobs
  • Indian Railways
  • World
    • Economy
    • Politics
    • Markets
  • videos
  • photos
  • Authors
  • More ...
    • VIDEOS
    • PHOTOS
Read in App
Business News » India News

Srikrishna panel recommends changes in Aadhaar Act; moots new safeguards for data protection

The Justice Srikrishna panel on data protection has recommended that the Aadhaar Act be amended "significantly" to bolster privacy safeguards and mooted that only public authorities approved by the UIDAI or entities mandated by law be given the right to request for identity authentication.

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linkedin
  • whatapp
  • View in App
Srikrishna panel recommends changes in Aadhaar Act; moots new safeguards for data protection
"The Aadhaar Act needs to be amended significantly to bolster privacy protections and ensure autonomy of the UIDAI," said The Justice Srikrishna panel. Image source: Zee Business
Written By: PTI
Updated: Sat, Jul 28, 2018
03:18 pm
PTI
RELATED NEWS
Aadhaar card latest update: Avail more than 35 Aadhaar services on your smartphone with this app Aadhaar card latest update: Avail more than 35 Aadhaar services on your smartphone with this app
Aadhaar rules set to change: Check key points, benefits for you Aadhaar rules set to change: Check key points, benefits for you
After Aadhaar card, this is what Nandan Nilekani is set to do for you After Aadhaar card, this is what Nandan Nilekani is set to do for you
Voluntary use of Aadhaar card for SIMs, bank accounts: Govt tables bill Voluntary use of Aadhaar card for SIMs, bank accounts: Govt tables bill
Telcos to erase Aadhaar data if customer gives alternative KYC docs: COAI Telcos to erase Aadhaar data if customer gives alternative KYC docs: COAI

The Justice Srikrishna panel on data protection has recommended that the Aadhaar Act be amended "significantly" to bolster privacy safeguards and mooted that only public authorities approved by the UIDAI or entities mandated by law be given the right to request for identity authentication.

The panel -- whose views on Aadhaar are captured in its 213-page report, but are not part of the draft Personal Data Protection Bill, also submitted by it to the government yesterday -- seeks greater autonomy, both functional and financial, for the Aadhaar-issuing body.

The panel asserted that the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) should not only be autonomous in its decision-making, functioning independently of the user agencies in the government, but also be vested with powers akin to a traditional regulator for enforcement actions.

It has prescribed that UIDAI should be granted powers to impose civil penalties on various errant entities and be armed with power to give directions, issue cease and desist orders to state and private contractors in cases involving statutory violations or non-compliance, and for actual or impending privacy breach.

"The Aadhaar Act needs to be amended significantly to bolster privacy protections and ensure autonomy of the UIDAI," said the report by the panel, a telling statement given the numerous reports of personal information being allegedly compromised with increasing use of biometric identifier Aadhaar in an array of services.

The recommendations of the committee also assume significance as the Supreme Court has reserved its judgement on a clutch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Aadhaar Act.

"...It is salient that the data protection regime proposed by the Committee will require close introspection by the Government on various aspects pertaining to the existing functioning of the UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India). Currently the Aadhaar Act is silent on the powers of the UIDAI to take enforcement action against errant companies in the Aadhaar ecosystem," the report said.

Citing "several instances" in the recent past of companies wrongly insisting on Aadhaar numbers, those using the numbers for unauthorised purposes and those leaking the numbers, the report said these episodes can affect informational privacy and "requires urgent redressal".

The much-touted virtual ID feature and offline verification models rolled out by the UIDAI also came under the panel's lens, as it noted that while the twin measures have the potential to ensure safeguards like collection limitation and data minimisation, they do not come armed with a statutory backing.

"However, there is no statutory backing for such announcements as on date and it is unclear as to how they are to be effectively implemented," it said.

Significantly, on the entities that are entitled to request for authentication, the panel made it clear that this should be "restricted" to outfits that "perform a public function and require verifiable identification for the purpose of performing such public function".

It listed out two situation under which the entities can request for authentication -- one where it is mandated by law made by Parliament, and in second instance a public authority performing a public function that is approved by the UIDAI.

"In granting such approval, the UIDAI should take into account security standards employed by the entity as well as the steps it has taken to incorporate privacy protections for Aadhaar number holders," it said.

For entities which do not perform a public function, but where identification of individuals may still be required, the panel said that only offline verification of Aadhaar numbers with the consent of the Aadhaar holder should be used for identity verification of an individual.

"Currently, many such entities, as a matter of course, ask for the Aadhaar number of individuals. This represents a significant privacy concern," the report said.

The panel batted for greater autonomy for UIDAI, seeking amendments in this regard.

The changes it has favoured with regard to UIDAI are that the nodal body must enjoy autonomy in decision-making, functioning independently of the user agencies in the government and outside it, and that it must be equipped with powers similar to those vested with traditional regulators for enforcement actions.

The panel said following an examination of the powers and functions of existing statutory regulators such as TRAI, SEBI, CCI and the deficiencies in the existing framework for Aadhaar, it has come to a view that the UIDAI should be vested with the functions of ensuring effective enforcement, better compliance, consumer protection and prevention and redressal of privacy breaches.

WATCH ZEE BUSINESS VIDEO HERE

"In cases involving statutory violations or non-compliance, or an actual or impending privacy breach, the UIDAI will be tasked with the power to issue directions, as well as cease and desist orders to state and private contractors, and other entities discharging functions under the Aadhaar Act," it said.

And even UIDAI in its role as data collector will be subject to the rigours and penalties of the data protection law -- currently in the draft stage.

"Finally, in its role as a data fiduciary under the proposed data protection framework, the UIDAI will, in the eyes of the data protection law, be viewed as any other entity processing personal data of individuals, and will be subject to the rigours and penalties of the law. It is thus critical that these changes be made hand-in-hand with a new data protection legislation," it said.

Get Latest Business News, Stock Market Updates and Videos; Check your tax outgo through Income Tax Calculator and save money through our Personal Finance coverage. Check Business Breaking News Live on Zee Business Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe on YouTube.

TAGS:
Aadhar cardUnique identification Authority of India (UIDAI)
RELATED NEWS
Aadhaar card latest update: Avail more than 35 Aadhaar services on your smartphone with this app Aadhaar card latest update: Avail more than 35 Aadhaar services on your smartphone with this app
Aadhaar rules set to change: Check key points, benefits for you Aadhaar rules set to change: Check key points, benefits for you
After Aadhaar card, this is what Nandan Nilekani is set to do for you After Aadhaar card, this is what Nandan Nilekani is set to do for you
Voluntary use of Aadhaar card for SIMs, bank accounts: Govt tables bill Voluntary use of Aadhaar card for SIMs, bank accounts: Govt tables bill
Telcos to erase Aadhaar data if customer gives alternative KYC docs: COAI Telcos to erase Aadhaar data if customer gives alternative KYC docs: COAI

LATEST NEWS

7th Pay Commission Latest News: How pensioners will benefit from DA, TA, salary hike for central government employees?—EXPLAINED

NASA releases panoramic view of Mars rover landing site

Big development! Government announces new guidelines to curb misuse of social media platforms; 3 tier mechanism for OTTs

Rajkummar Rao, Bhumi Pednekar wrap shoot for 'Badhaai Do'

Money earning scheme: This SBI plan will give you more than Rs 81,000 interest

ZeeBiz raises critical questions on NSE trading glitch; Anil Singhvi demands inquiry, asks who will pay compensation for loss?

LPG gas subsidy status: How to check cooking gas subsidy online in bank account, all you need know

Redmi K40, Redmi K40 Pro launch today: Check timings, how to watch event live streaming

PAN Aadhaar Link Online Last Date: This will happen if you don't do what Income Tax dept has said! Do now via SMS

Chris Hemsworth's 7-yr-old son has a ''special'' compliment for star

  • India News
  • World News
  • Companies News
  • Market News
  • Personal Finance News
  • Technology News
  • Automobile News
  • Small Business News
  • Income Tax Calculator
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Author
  • Rss Feed
  • Advertise with us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Legal Disclaimer

Latest Trending Updates

  • EPFO
  • Budget 2020
  • Income Tax Return
  • Auto Expo 2020
  • Home Loan
  • Business News

Trending Topics

  • Income Tax
  • income Tax Calculator
  • 7th Pay Commission
  • Reserve Bank of India
  • GST
  • Latest Business News

Follow us on

zeebiz
zeebiz

Partner Sites

  • Zee News
  • Hindi News
  • Marathi News
  • Bengali News
  • Tamil News
  • Malayalam News
  • Gujarati News
  • Telugu News
  • Kannada News
  • DNA
  • WION
Copyright © Zee Media Corporation Ltd. All rights reserved