Aadhaar EKYC cancelled for new mobile connections and revaluation
The Ministry of CD of Telecommunications has received an issue for completing directive to stop the use of Aadhaar EKYC service of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) for issuing new mobile connections and revival of existing mobile customers.
The Hon’ble Supreme Court in its judgment regarding the use of Aadhaar performed Aadhaar / Authentication using UIDI’s EKYC service and set aside certain sections of the Aadhaar Act and Aadhaar Regulations, 2016.
Therefore, the competent authority has approved instructions by all telecom operators (licenses) in India to stop using UIDAI’s Aadhaar EKYC service for redistribution of existing customers with immediate effect (26.10.2018).
The Department of Telecommunications has guided to all the India’s Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) to ensure its implementation across the country in a given time and compliance in this regard should be submitted by 5 November 2018.
What is the new process for issuing mobile connections instead of Aadhaar eKYC?
According to the joint representation of the telecommunications industry, an optional digital process for KYC of mobile subscribers that envisions CAFs to be embedded with live photos of Jio / POA with subscriber and scanned photos, leading to onboarding of new mobiles Digitization of the end-to-end process is done for. Customers by making it completely paperless.
As per this representation, the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India has directed all the telecom service providers to ensure the readiness of their systems and to propose the proposed digital process by 05.11.2018 for approval.
How to issue mobile connections before new eKYC process?
- All licensees can use old proof of identity/proof of address (POI / POA) based process as per DoT to issue new mobile connections to customers.
- Accepting a copy of Aadhaar or e-Aadhaar letter without mask or Aadhaar number (eg downloaded from UIDAI website) as POI / POA document, if offered voluntarily by the subscriber.
As per the DOT declares the guideline for updation of Aadhaar EKYC, all telecom service providers (BSNL, Reliance Jio, Airtel, Vodafone Idea etc…) also issue Aadhaar number (which was an optional entry) on the subscriber number (CAFs) for writing columns. Will remove New Mobile Connection. Therefore, as per the new guidelines of India’s Government, that it is not compulsory to submit Aadhaar EKYC for availing BSNL mobile connection for prepaid sim services or postpaid sim services.