How many mobile SIM cards can be purchased using one Aadhaar card? Check all important links here

Department of Telecommunications in the recent past has taken several measures to ensure proper allocation of telecom resources to subscribers and protect their interests in ensuring reduction of frauds.

New Delhi: The Department of Telecom had in 2018 enhanced the limit of mobile connections per person with a condition.

Since the number of SIMs required for M2M communications will be huge, the DoT had enhanced number of connections per user to 18. This included that 9 SIMs can be used for normal mobile phone communications or for use in devices which has slot for them. The other 9 SIMs can be purchased for M2M communications (Machine to machine communications).

According to the guidelines, in case where M2M are required to be pre-installed in devices, it will be responsibility of device makers to complete subscriber verification. However, it will be responsibility of the person or end user to update subscriber details if he or she transfers device to other user.

Meanwhile, DoT in 2019 developed the Telecom Analytics for Fraud management and Consumer Protection (TAF-COP) portal website to help subscribers, check the number of mobile connections working in their name, and take necessary action for regularising their additional mobile connections if any. However, the primary responsibility of handling the Customer Acquisition Form (CAF) lies with the service providers.

The facilities provided in this portal https://tafcop.dgtelecom.gov.in/ are as under:

1. Subscribers having more than nine multiple connections in their name will be intimated by SMS.

2. Subscribers having more than nine multiple connections in their name can – click the above link, to take necessary action.

3. Users can check the status once they click the above link to login with their number and enter the "Ticket ID Ref No" in the "Request Status" box.

Using this tracker, you can find out if any SIM car has been issued using your Aadhaar card without your knowledge and permission.

Once you open the link given above, you will be asked to type in your mobile number and be provided with an OTP. Once you complete the required process you will be able to see the details of all SIM cards purchased using your Aadhaar number.

Meanwhile, it must be noted that in 2019, it was clarified by Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister For Electronics and Information Technology that no directions were issued by Department of Telecommunications for making mandatory for all mobile users in the Country to link Aadhaar number with mobile SIM cards. However, the Aadhaar based E-KYC (Electronic-Know Your Customer) process was adopted as an alternative mechanism of KYC for issuance of new mobile connections on 16.08.2016 and a method of re-verification of existing mobile subscribers on 23.03.2017.

Subsequently, in pursuance Supreme Court’s judgment dated 26.09.2018 DoT had discontinued the use of Aadhaar based E-KYC service of UIDAI for issuing new mobile connections to subscribers and re-verification of existing mobile subscribers. However, subsequently vide an ordinance, it has been allowed on a voluntary basis to be used --the full link of the same can be accessed here.