Aadhaar isn’t Mandatory for New Mobile Connections – Government

Customers can now get new SIM Cards without Aadhaar which is said to be priority till date and now can issue with other documents like election voter ID or driving licence and the government will await Supreme Court’s order on re-verification of mobile subscribers using Aadhaar at a later date.

Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan told
” As per rule, fresh connections can be given using any authentic ID and address proof. There is no change in that rule. Telecom operators cannot deny fresh SIM to people having valid ID and address proof document. For re-verification, we have to wait for Supreme Court order as the matter is sub-judice”

Department of Telecom (DoT) had earlier extended the deadline for re-verifying mobile numbers through Aadhaar, till the time the apex court takes a view on the petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Aadhaar and its enabling law.

DoT’s circular issued on March 23, 2017 says “The subscriber acquired through proof of identity/ proof of address documents based process, during the period of this re-verification activity shall also be re-verified through e-KYC process. For this, the licencee at the time of issuing connection to such subscribers, shall intimate the subscribers about this re-verification activity”