SC verdict on linking aadhaar to bank accounts eagerly awaited

Prakash Stephens receives emails from the bank he decided to bank with twenty years ago. The language employed in these mails was not dissimilar to language employed by certain groups warning of the end of the world. The mails essentially urged him to provide details of his Aadhar and Pan card at the earliest to ensure his account was not blocked. The emails accompanied by SMS were repeatedly sent to his mobile. Like him several millions in the country have been recipients of such messages from their banks for several months. But are they allowed to do this? 

Several individuals the Herald contacted were more than willing to speak, others less so. The problem is very obvious, according to the Supreme Court ruling, the Aadhaar card would be mandatory for just two things, to get access to the public distribution system and to get the benefits of the LPG subsidy scheme. The Supreme Court ruled that this step was necessary to avoid any security problem which could be caused by linking all documents at one place. So then why are the banks requesting all their customers to link their aadhar cards with their accounts?

Not surprisingly bankers were not willing to come on record to speak on the matter. The branch manager of a private sector bank located in Panjim said “We have been given our orders by the relevant authorities in the Central government and we are following them. I cannot answer questions regarding the legal status of this entire exercise. No banker in fact will want to answer this question.” 

Another senior banker speaking on condition of confidentiality said all the banks were over compensating. He said “No one wants to look bad in the eyes of this government. The Supreme Court will give a ruling in November and depending on how it goes; the banks will do everything in December. ” 

Roland Martins of GoaCan said it was very important for the average consumer to know his or her rights. At every bank, he said there was a complaint book which was a very important tool. Mr Martins said “The complaints in the books have to be addressed. If not then there is a consumer consultation committee, matters are heard every fortnight. Then there is the banking ombudsman. The systems are all in place to question decisions made by the banks but the consumer has to be willing to question. Go through the grind so to speak and be willing to last the distance.” Mr Martins said that the banks were chasing people in the wrong direction. They should be chasing people who had taken huge loans and not repaid the banks instead of chasing people for details of their aadhar card. 

For the average customer, these demands have to be obeyed despite misgivings. Vikram Verlekar felt it was ok if the government demanded that it be done but he also felt if the Supreme Court was yet to make a decision it would not be nice for the government to exert pressure. He said “We have to look at how data is stored but we have to also remember as Indian’s we tend to take things for granted. I think the government had to exert pressure to ensure that people complied.” 

A high net worth individual who did not want to come on record, said “Well this government likes to do what it feels is right, but if it wanted to link all the important documents why has it not linked the election card. Sadly the regular average Joe is not in the calculations of the party.”

Mohammed Anees a business man based in Margoa said “The Supreme Court has said it is not mandatory. But the government says otherwise. The common man will suffer. All this data will with the government. How will it be utilized? The judiciary is supreme but this government seems to think otherwise. This government does crazy things.” 

The need to improve vigilance on the part of the average consumer is never higher. Roland Martins said “Goacan would be observing Vigilance Awareness Week from October 30 to November 5 to highlight the need for consumers to be vigilant against the malpractices being carried out by governmental and commercial agencies which is causing financial loss to the consumer.” The people, Roland said had to be prepared to make noise and take action otherwise, nothing would happen. Perhaps one will have to look to the Supreme Court for help. They will have to perhaps show the way and make it clear to the powers that be that these moves are not democratic and seem to impinge on the personal liberty of an individual.