HIGHLIGHTS
- 5-judge bench in SC deems PMLA Rule about bank accounts unconstitutional
- Judges strike down DoT directive that sought phone number-mobile linking
- Banks, phone companies can’t insist on Aadhaar number
A 5-judge bench of Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that government provisions asking people to link mobile numbers and bank accounts to Aadhaar number are unconstitutional. The bench said that the PMLA Rule as well as the notification issued by DoT in this regard were unconstitutional and hence need not be followed.
In other words, this means that you don’t have to anymore link your Aadhaar number with your mobile phone number or bank account number. It also means that banks and mobile phone companies can’t anymore insist on Aadhaar number to verify your details while giving you a new connection or a new bank account.