LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

1.            National Identification Authority of India Bill 2010

Aadhaar, which seeks to serve as a proof of identity and address anywhere in India has a new reason to be in news. The National Identification Authority of India Bill, 2010, seeks to provide for issue of Aadhaar numbers to every resident of India by the Authority and for authentication of the Aadhaar number of an Aadhaar number holder in relation to his biometric information and demographic information subject to such conditions and on payment of such fees as may be specified by regulations. The Bill seeks establishment of the National Identification Authority of India consisting of a Chairperson and two part-time Members. The Aadhaar ID is valid throughout the country and is thus very convenient and useful for people moving from say rural India to urban India. Further, the Aadhaar platform allows on-line verification of a person’s identity anywhere in the country by various means biometric – fingerprint and iris, demographic and one time password to the mobile phone or email id.  

2.       National Policy on Universal Electronic Accessibility

India ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2007 which says that state parties shall take appropriate measures to ensure to persons with disabilities, have an access on an equal basis with others, to the physical environment, to transportation, to information and communications, including Information and Communication Technology’s (ICTs) and systems and to other facilities and services open or provided to the public. at large The Union Cabinet on October 6, 2013 approved the National Policy on Universal Electronic Accessibility that recognizes the need to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disabilities as well as to facilitate equal access to electronics and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Differently abled persons all over the country will benefit from this policy as it aims to create awareness on universal electronics accessibility and universal design, capacity building and infrastructure development, setting up of model electronics and ICTs centres for providing training and demonstration to special educators and physically as well as mentally challenged persons, conducting research and development, use of innovation, ideas, technology etc. whether indigenous or outsourced from abroad, developing programme and schemes with greater emphasis for differently abled women/children, developing procurement guidelines for electronics and ICTs for accessibility and assistive needs.

This law blog post is contributed by Jyoti S who is a partner, in Delhi based law firm.