Deadlines for linking Aadhaar with bank account, PAN ‘valid’, no changes in them: UIDAI

Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which issues Aadhaar, said on Thursday that the deadlines for linking Aadhaar with bank account, PAN and mobile SIM cards is “valid” and no changes will be made to it.

The deadline for linking Aadhaar with your bank account and PAN is December 31 and for linking Aadhaar with mobile SIM cards is February 6.

Responding to various social media messages, UIDAI said that there is no stay on the deadline or on the linking process.

UIDAI’s statement said, “that Aadhaar Act being in force, all notifications for requiring Aadhaar for various welfare programmes, verifying bank account, PAN card and SIM card with Aadhaar stand valid and lawful.”

It added, “today's legal position is that there is no stay as on December 7, 2017 from the Supreme Court on Aadhaar and its linking to various services.”

The linking of Aadhaar with bank account and PAN was made mandatory by the Government of India to vent out all the black money and bring unaccounted capital to the front. The same has been applied to the linkage of Aadhaar with SIM cards so that an identification of the user is established.

The statement also said, “the mandatory requirements of Aadhaar for PAN, bank accounts, welfare programs, and SIM cards have been challenged in the Supreme Court and no stay has been granted.”

“Therefore, subsequent notifications issued under section/s of Aadhaar Act for requiring Aadhaar as primary identifier by various ministries and departments of Government of India and States/UTs Governments for various services, benefits and subsidies hold the field today,” the statement said.

The statement quoted, “UIDAI has clarified on a video circulated purportedly out of context of a lady lawyer on WhatsApp, Twitter and Social Media and said that the video refers to an order passed by the Supreme Court on August 11, 2015 when the court had restricted use of Aadhaar to only few programs.”

The Aadhaar Act was passed by the Parliament on March 16, 2016.

Also Read: Supreme Court to hear plea challenging validity of Aadhaar Act today

“Supreme Court too in Lokniti Foundation case, through an order passed in February 2017, has approved verification of all SIM cards with Aadhaar," UIDAI said.

The Income Tax Act was amended in March 2017 to mandate the linking of Aadhaar with PAN, bank account and SIM cards.