The Finance Ministry has yet again extended the deadline by which people can link their Aadhaar numbers to PAN, until December 31, 2019. Rethink Aadhaar maintains that such linking is disproportionate and unconstitutional. A challenge to such linking is being heard in the Karnataka High Court wherein the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has asked for more time to respond. The HC has directed the CBDT not to take any action against the petitioners for not linking Aadhaar to PAN until the hearing is complete.
Last year, we created the Article 21 Trust as an engine that could power further struggles to counter the impact of Aadhaar and other civil technologies on human rights – in particular the right to life, liberty, and livelihood (as the name of the Trust might suggest). Article 21 will support Rethink Aadhaar through fundraising as well as working on necessary research.
On July 16, the Delhi High Court directed the Election Commission of India (ECI), to consider a plea for an Aadhaar-based voting system, in response to a PIL filed by BJP member Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay. The petition “proposes an e-voting system using fingerprint and face biometric” and, for that purpose, linking of Aadhaar number with voter ID. Such a system, the petition claims, will lead to an increase in voting percentage while also preventing bogus or fraudulent voting.
While the government is trying hard to crush every voice against Aadhaar, one person from Mumbai not only fought, but also won against the government's mandatory linking policy. Hear Mr Ramesh Kurhade of Mumbai Port Trust as he shares the story of his unwavering fight against Aadhaar.
A number of concerned citizens and NGOs have come together to felicitate Mr Kurhade in the hope that his experience will give courage to others. The felicitation and his talk will be followed by brief interventions from additional speakers: Dr. Anupam Saraph, Vickram Crishna, Raghu (aka godavar), Vidyut Gore, Elisha Ebenezer, and more.
The Union Government has listed for introduction in the Lok Sabha tomorrow (January 2, 2019) the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018, in the Lok Sabha. There are serious concerns violating court orders and citizens rights in this.
The Right to Food Campaign in Jharkhand reported the death of three more people from starvation after their ration cards were canceled due to not linking with Aadhaar. The full RFC update is included here.
In 2016, some of us came together to formulate a response to the Aadhaar onslaught and attempted to organise resources to challenge Aadhaar. We also worked to raise awareness and developed resources to help others understand - and critique - the project. We thought we would be focused on both “welfare and privacy” - two worlds that did not seem particularly connected until the UID project attacked our rights in both spheres. Some of us loosely began calling for “Rethink Aadhaar” (or “no2UID”).
