Lok Sabha Question No. 2215 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-15
Subject: Aadhaar Based e-KYC Norms
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, V. PANNEER SELVAM, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD, VIJAY KUMAR S.R., ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, ALOK SANJAR, SISIR KUMAR ADHIKARI, SUKENDER REDDY GUTHA, KOTHA PRABHAKAR REDDY, DUSHYANT CHAUTALA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2215 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15 TH  MARCH, 2017

## AADHAAR BASED E-KYC NORMS

## 2215.  SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI V.  PANNEERSELVAM:

KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH:

DR. SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD:

SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR:

SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN:

SHRI ALOK SANJAR:

SHRI SISIR KUMAR ADHIKARI:

SHRI GUTHA SUKENDER REDDY:

SHRI PRABHAKAR REDDY KOTHA:

SHRI DUSHYANT CHAUTALA:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Aadhaar  based  e-KYC  has  been  adopted  only for new  mobile connections/users excluding the existing mobile users and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (b) Whether the Supreme Court has directed the Government to mandatorily link details of  all  mobile  users  in  the  country  to  their  Aadhaar  number  for  identity  and  address verification;
- (c) if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government in this regard and the details of methodology adopted by the Government for the said purpose;
- (d) the time by which sim cards issued by the telecom companies are likely to be linked with Aadhaar card;
- (e) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government to ensure proper verification of subscribers  and  address  the  issue  of  security  concerns  pertaining  to  fake/bogus  mobile connections in the country, and
- (f) whether  the  Telecom  Regulatory  Authority  of  India  (TRAI)  has  recommended  the Government that Aadhaar based e-KYC be allowed also for outstation customers who want to get a mobile connection in a particular service area and if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

- (a) The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued 'Aadhaar based ElectronicKnow Your Customer (E-KYC) process for issuing new mobile connections to subscribers' on 16.08.2016.  This  process  is  an  alternative  process  to  documents  based  process.  The existing subscribers had already submitted their Proof of Identity/Proof of Address at the time of enrolment as per the norms prevailing at that point of time.

(b) to (d) Yes  Madam,  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court,  while  disposing  off  the  Writ  Petition (Civil)  No.  607/2016  filed  by  Lokniti  Foundation  V/s  Union  of  India,  vide  its  order  dated 06.02.2017 has directed for re-verification of all existing mobile subscribers through Aadhaar based E-KYC process preferably within a period of one year. Action is being taken as per orders of Hon'ble Supreme Court.

(e) For adequate verification of mobile subscribers at the time of enrolment by Telecom Service Providers, instructions have been issued from time to time. The audit of Customer Acquisition Forms is carried out on sample basis to ensure compliance to verification norms and penalties are imposed on non-compliant cases.

To address the issue of fake/ bogus documents, provisions have been made for filing the Police complaints/FIRs.

(f) Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) vide its reference dated 20.01.2017 has recommended  that  Aadhaar  based  E-KYC  process  should  be  permitted  for  outstation customers  also.  As  such,  DoT  was  already  aware  of  this  constraint  and  had  initiated  the actions in this issue prior to the reference/recommendations made by TRAI.

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