According to the new Government directions based on the orders passed by the Apex Court of India in the Lokniti Foundation case, every person is required to link their SIM card i.e. mobile number with their Aadhaar number. The deadline for the same is February 2018 and if this direction is not complied with, it will result in the disconnection or deactivation of the mobile number of the defaulter. Linking Aadhaar with SIM helps mobile users immensely as a new number fulfilled with Aadhaar e-KYC gets activated in less than 30 minutes as compared to 2 days previously and also saves the mobile user from furnishing a plethora of Photo ID proofs.
There are approximately 128 mobile users in India and as per data with UIDAI, around 33.8 Crores of Mobile SIM Cards have been linked with Aadhaar via e-KYC till July 2017. The motive behind this move is to effectively verify the existing mobile users so as to keep a tab on any untoward incidents committed by criminals, fraudsters and terrorists.
The linkage of Aadhaar number with your SIM can only be done in Offline mode as this isn’t a One Time Password authenticated transaction. Now, the only thing you have to do for the same is visit any store of your telecom operator and tell them your Aadhaar number along with no other paper but your biometric fingerprints itself.
The reason cited for the offline in person mode only is to avoid online frauds which will fail the whole purpose. According to a government official working on the development, “Online linking of mobile number has a security risk”. He further stated that, “If a fraudster knows your Aadhaar number, name and other details, then he can link a mobile number to your Aadhaar…and if he commits a crime, police will reach your home.”
The telecom companies are not supposed to store any of the biometric information and personal data as this information has to be collected and encrypted by the telecom company there and then, and any defaulter telecom company will be charged with a criminal offence.
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