Aadhaar – Mobile Linkage Why in news? The Supreme Court recently declared that privacy is a fundamental right. But most telecom operators continue to pressure their users for mandatory Aadhar linkage - thereby violating individual privacy. What is the linking process? Re-verification requires a user to visit a telecom service centre and undergo a biometric (fingerprint) authentication. The fingerprints are then matched with the Aadhaar database to establish authenticity. The messages and calls for Aadhaar linking have only increased in frequency with time. Some operators have even issues threats of disconnection if linkage doesn’t happen with a specified time. What are the legal issues? The Framework - The Centre is the custodian of the airwaves. It issues licences to private companies for providing mobile voice and data services. Telecom operators are governed by regulations by the Department of Telecommunications (DOT). This includes clauses for subscriber
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