Telcos asked to carry out Aadhaar-based verification

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 27

The telecom operators have been given one year by the Department of Telecom (DoT) to carry out the Aadhaar-based verification of all existing subscribers of mobile services.

Following the Supreme Court order, the government has come out with a notification instructing telecom operators to initiate the process for re-verification of the subscribers based on their Aadhaar number.

The Supreme Court, in an order in February this year, had observed that, "an effective process has been evolved to ensure the identity verification, as well as, the addresses of all mobile phone subscribers for the new subscribers. In the near future, and more particularly within one year from today, a similar verification will be completed, in case of existing subscribers".

The notification issued by the DoT said, "All licencees shall re-verify all existing mobile subscribers (pre-paid and postpaid) through Aadhaar-based e-KYC process".

The order further says all licencees will have to inform existing subscribers, through advertisements in print and electronic media as well as SMS, about the order of the Supreme Court for re-verification activity. They have also been asked to upload the details of the exercise on their website.

The telecom department has said the operators will use and share common device eco-system through mutual agreements, and will work out mechanisms to avoid public inconvenience and long queues.

Meanwhile, cellular operators' body COAI said its members may meet this week to discuss the modalities of rolling out the verification process for the existing one billion-plus mobile phone users.

For re-verification through Aadhaar-based eKYC process, the operator will send a verification code to the mobile number of the subscriber. Prior to starting the e-KYC, the operator will verify this code from the subscriber so as to confirm the SIM card of the mobile connection is physically available with the subscriber.

"After the completion of the e-KYC process, before updating or overwriting the old subscriber detail in database with the data received through e-KYC process, the licencee will seek confirmation from the subscriber about the re-verification of his/her mobile number after 24 hours through SMS," the notification said.