AADHAAR AND OTHER LAWS (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2019

About: 

• Background: The bill envisages strengthening of the Aadhaar Act as per the directions of the Supreme Court and recommendations of Justice B.N.Srikrishna(Retd) Amendments to Aadhaar and other laws were necessitated after the Supreme Court's ruling on privacy.
  
  
• Acts amended: The bill seeks to amend Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 and to further amend the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
  
  
• The salient features of the amendments:
  • No individual will be compelled to provide proof of possession of Aadhaar number or undergo authentication for the purpose of establishing his identity unless it is so provided by a law made by Parliament.
    
    
  • For the convenience of the general public in the opening of bank accounts, it will allow the use of Aadhaar number for authentication on a voluntary basis as an acceptable KYC document under the Telegraph Act, 1885 and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
    
    
  • It gives an option to children who are Aadhaar number holders to cancel their Aadhaar number on attaining the age of eighteen years.
    
    
  • It proposes deletion of section 57 of the Aadhaar Act relating to use of Aadhaar by private entities;
    
    
  • It prevents denial of services for refusing to, or being unable to, undergo authentication.
    
    
  • It provides for establishment of Unique Identification Authority of India Fund.
    
    
  • It provides for civil penalties, its adjudication, appeal thereof in regard to violations of Aadhaar Act and provisions by entities in the Aadhaar ecosystem.