Aadhaar-Linking Deadline For Mobile Phone (SIM), Other Services Extended: Supreme Cour

Aadhaar-Linking Deadline For Mobile Phone (SIM), Other Services Extended: Supreme Court

Aadhaar-Linking Deadline For Mobile Phone (SIM), Other Services Extended: Supreme Court

The government had last week extended the deadline for linking of PAN with Aadhaar till March 31, 2018.

The Supreme Court today extended the deadline for linking of Aadhaar with various schemes and welfare measures, including mobile phone (SIM), to March 31 next year. The government had earlier this week extended to March 31, 2018 the deadline for mandatory quoting of Aadhaar and Permanent Account Number (PAN) for bank accounts and certain financial transactions. New bank accounts can be opened without Aadhaar but applicant needs to submit proof that he or she has applied for the Aadhaar card, the top court said.

The Supreme Court said the new Aadhaar-linking deadline also applies to all state government schemes.

Some petitioners in the top court have termed the linking of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) number with bank accounts and mobile numbers as “illegal and unconstitutional”.

The deadline for existing bank account holders to furnish the 12-digit biometric personal identifier was December 31, 2017 previously. The extension, the government notification said, has been granted “after considering various representations received and inputs received from banks.”

The deadline for Aadhaar-linking with SIM (mobile phone) was February 6 previously.

While the Aadhaar is issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), PAN is allotted by the Income Tax Department.

The government had earlier said failure to submit Aadhaar number and PAN within the stipulated timelines would mean that the account “will cease to be operational till the time the Aadhaar number and Permanent Account Number is submitted by the client”.

The PMLA or Prevention of Money Laundering Act forms the core of the legal framework put in place by India to combat money laundering and generation of black money. The PMLA and its rules impose an obligation on “reporting entities” like banks, financial institutions and intermediaries to verify the identity of clients, maintain records and furnish information to the Financial Intelligence Unit of India (FIU-IND).