CHENNAI: Despite a Central government directive to telecom operators not to demand Aadhaar for availing new SIM cards, operators are forcing customers to submit Aadhaar details to procure SIM cards in the city. Aruna Sundararajan, telecom secretary, told reporters on May 2 that telecom operators had been instructed to give SIM cards if voter IDs and driving licences were provided. However, two of the three largest telecom operators are still refusing to issue SIM cards without Aadhaar proof.
Three Reliance Jio dealers that Express visited said that the SIM cards would not be activated if Aadhaar details were not provided. Syed, a dealer in Selaiyur, claimed that customers who had submitted driving licences or voter IDs as proof faced activation problems. Another Jio dealer in Chromepet, who requested anonymity, said that the company had told them to insist on Aadhaar proof. “If we don’t conform to what the company asks, we won’t be able to sell their SIMs; so we have to comply,” he said, adding that he had still not linked his Aadhaar to his SIM, fearing privacy violation.
Vodafone, which enjoys 18.20 per cent market share (December-end TRAI data), blatantly refused to provide new SIMs without Aadhaar proof. “We have moved onto paperless registration. So we accept only Aadhaar proof,” said a sales executive in the Sembakkam branch. Sundararajan had clearly said that Know Your Customer (KYC) details could be collected by operators without demanding Aadhaar details. However, by scrapping the paper-based KYC, which was in place, potential customers who refuse to give Aadhaar proof are being shown the door.
“There is no point fighting them anymore, so I am giving my Aadhaar details,” said Sridhar K, a businessman. While the company with the largest wireless telecom market share, Airtel, is allowing customers to submit other government proofs, delayed verification is forcing customers to prefer Aadhaar proof for procuring SIM cards.
“We are very clear about it. Airtel does accept valid government ID proofs, other than Aadhar for availing of SIMs,” said a spokesperson for Airtel. While the Vodafone spokesperson was not available for comment, a representative from Jio said that Aadhaar proof is recommended for customers. At the same time, the spokesperson denied allegations of Jio dealers that they were being asked to collect only Aadhaar proof.
“We have made arrangements for customers who wish to provide other valid ID proofs,” the representative claimed. A source in the telecom industry said that companies are asking for Aadhaar proof at the time of procurement to save them from the burden of verification if the Supreme Court eventually gave the nod for Aadhaar-SIM linkage.