Now old, ill do not need Aadhaar for bank a/c : Centre

The government on Wednesday allowed injured, ill and infirm old aged persons to use alternative means of authentication in place of national biometric ID Aadhaar to confirm their identity for bank accounts.

In a gazette notification, the government said prevention of money-laundering rules have been amended to provide for alternative means of identification, for such select category of people who face difficulties in their biometric authentication.

The amendment provides for "appropriate exemptions, limitations and conditions and alternative and viable means of identification, to provide account-based services to clients, who are unable to undergo biometric authentication owing to injury, illness or infirmity on account of old age or otherwise, and such like causes." "Every reporting entity will formulate and implement a client due diligence programme...," it said further. When contacted, UIDAI Chief Executive Officer Ajay Bhushan Pandey said the rules would help old people, injured and ill who were facing problems in undergoing biometric authentication to continue with banking and other financial services without difficulty.

This will also ensure that no genuine account holder is denied banking services owing to problems of biometric authentication, Pandey added.

It may be recalled that the Supreme Court on May 10 has reserved its verdict on a batch of pleas challenging the constitutional validity of Centre's flagship Aadhaar scheme and its enabling 2016 law after a marathon hearing that went on for 38 days spanning four-and-half months.

In March this year, the apex court had extended indefinitely its March 31 deadline for linking of existing bank accounts and mobile phone numbers with Aadhaar.

In a gazette notification, the government said prevention of moneylaundering rules have been amended to provide for alternative means of identification, for such select category of people who face difficulties in their biometric authentication