New Delhi, Dec 7 (PTI) UIDAI, the authority which issuesAadhaar, said today that the deadlines for verifying bankaccounts, PAN cards and mobile SIM cards with the biometric IDstand "valid and lawful", and there is no change in them.
While the deadline for verifying bank accounts and incometax Permanent Account Number (PAN) by providing Aadhaar isDecember 31, for SIM cards it is February 6.
Refuting social media messages, the Unique IdentificationAuthority of India (UIDAI) said that as on date there is nostay from the Supreme Court on Aadhaar and its linking tovarious services.
"That Aadhaar Act being in force, all notifications forrequiring Aadhaar for various welfare programmes, verifyingbank account, PAN card and SIM card with Aadhaar stand validand lawful," it said in a statement.
"Today's legal position is that there is no stay as onDecember 7, 2017 from the Supreme Court on Aadhaar and itslinking to various services," it added.
The government has made it mandatory for verifying bankaccount and PAN to weed out black money and bring unaccountedwealth to book. The same for SIM has been mandated toestablish identify of mobile phone users.
"The mandatory requirements of Aadhaar for PAN, bankaccounts, welfare programs, and SIM cards have been challengedin the Supreme Court and no stay has been granted. Therefore,it is clear that the video is outdated because it does notreflect the latest legal position as on today (December 7,2017)," the statement said.
UIDAI said the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financialand Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 waspassed by the Parliament on March 16, 2016 and notified in theGazette of India on March 26, 2016.
"Therefore, subsequent notifications issued undersection/s of Aadhaar Act for requiring Aadhaar as primaryidentifier by various ministries and departments of Governmentof India and States/UTs Governments for various services,benefits and subsidies hold the field today," it said.
UIDAI asked people not to get misled by an outdated videodoing rounds in the social media and Whatsapp and said "peopleshould instead verify their banks accounts, investmentaccounts, SIM cards, etc as per the current laws and deadlinesas early as possible to avoid any inconvenience.""UIDAI has clarified on a video circulated purportedlyout of context of a lady lawyer on WhatsApp, Twitter andSocial Media and said that the video refers to an order passedby the Supreme Court on August 11, 2015 when the court hadrestricted use of Aadhaar to only few programs," the statementsaid.
The video, it said, does not reflect "true legalposition" as it stands today, because after the said SupremeCourt order of 2015, Aadhaar Act was passed by Parliament in2016.
Subsequent to the Act, notifications have been issuedmaking Aadhaar mandatory for availing various welfare benefitssuch as public distribution services (PDS), cooking gas LPG,MNREGS, scholarships and pensions.
The Income Tax Act was amended in March 2017 to makeAadhaar mandatory for PAN cards. On June 1, 2017, PML Ruleshave been amended to make Aadhaar mandatory for linking allbank accounts, insurance, pension, mutual funds and DMATaccounts.
"Supreme Court too in Lokniti Foundation case through anorder passed in February 2017 has approved verification of allSIM cards with Aadhaar," UIDAI said.
The Apex Court has upheld the linkage of Aadhaar with PANin the case of Binoy Viswam vs Union of India which mandatesAadhaar for income tax returns and PAN. PTI ANZSA.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.