Update at 1:00 pm: IT Minister RS Prasad introduced the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Lok Sabha today. NK Premachandran, MP from Kollam (Kerala), opposed the introduction of the Bill, to which Prasad countered that "Aadhaar does not violate privacy and it is in national interest". Prasad stated that all the issues Premachadran raised have been "dealt with". Prasad said that usage of Aadhaar for bank and SIM linking was so far being done through circulars and rules, but now it'll be done through an act of Parliament. He pointed out that under the amendment bill, a child's consent for Aadhaar will be taken after he becomes an adult, and that there is also a provision for offline verification. Premachandran opposed the Bill's introduction Premachandran had opposed the introduction of the bill on three grounds: "first, the Aadhaar Amendment Bill violates the SC judgment, second, it allows private entities to hold Aadhaar data, even when the SC specifically directed all agencies to delete Aadhaar data, and third, it violates fundamental rights including the right to livelihood ... " Amendments against spirit of SC judgment, violates fundamental right to privacy: "The Puttuswamy judgment restricted use of Aadhaar only for schemes involving subsidies and those paid out of the Consolidated Fund of India; the Bill intends to amend three laws, the Aadhaar Act, 2016, Telegraph Act, and PMLA Act. Clause 7 of the amendment which amends Section 4 mandates Aadhaar authentication. This is against the spirit of the…
