Don't panic: Linking Aadhaar with bank accounts, phone numbers before July 31 not compulsory

Are you getting messages from the banks and telecom companies, telling you that it is now mandatory to link Aadhaar number with the bank accounts and the phone numbers? Do the messages say that if the number is not linked it will lead to bank account freeze, and in case of mobile phones numbers deactivation of the phone connection? If so just relax. Do not get panic.

These messages have created panic among number of people. In the case of the bank accounts, the linking of Aadhaar, according to many banks, has to happen before July 31. And with reference to phone numbers it is the same issue. These messages are blatantly lie and do not adhere to such messages.

You don't have to link Aadhaar with bank account, phone numbers before July 31. It's not mandatory. According to government directives, deadline for linking your Aadhaar number to bank is December 31, 2017. There is plenty of time for you to decide whether you want to link the bank account with Aadhaar or not.

There is a directive from Department of Telecom issued to all telecom companies in India that all phone numbers in the country are needed to be re-verified using Aadhaar number. But the deadline for this exercise is February 2018. Before that phone companies can't deactivate your number if you don't link your Aadhaar with the phone number.

Between July 2017 and February 2018, a lot may change when it comes to Aadhaar. But irrespective of whether government directive will continue to stand or not, you have plenty of time to link Aadhaar with your phone number.

In most cases, these messages are misleading and are aimed at blackmailing or scaring people into linking Aadhaar with phone numbers and bank accounts. If you don't mind linking your Aadhaar with everything, go ahead and do it. That is not a problem. But if you care about your privacy, or concern about data security, you can safely ignore these messages for now.

The verdict on the ongoing Aadhaar 'privacy' case in Supreme Court is going to have its own impact on several directives issued from the government.

To put an end to all the speculations, there are two government directives that seek to link phone numbers and bank account numbers with Aadhaar number.

So banks and phone companies are right about the linking Aadhaar part. But they are misleading consumers on deadline part. Until December 31, no bank can suspend a bank account just because it wasn't linked to Aadhaar number.

If a bank tries to scare or blackmail you in doing so, you ask them on what basis they are forcing you to link the accounts with Aadhaar.

Similarly, until February 2018, no telecom company can deactivate your phone numbers just because you haven't linked with Aadhaar.

OneIndia News