TRAI chief discloses Aadhaar number on Twitter, challenges skeptics

Hevo – The data platform bagged $8,000,000 in latest round from investors.(Image: Reuters)

The Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), RS Sharma, disclosed his Aadhaar number in a Twitter post, after a user of the microblogging platform challenged the former over his comments on the sanctity of personal information stored in the Aadhaar database.

My Aadhaar number is 7621 7768 2740
Now I give this challenge to you: Show me one concrete example where you can do any harm to me!

— RS Sharma (@rssharma3) July 28, 2018

Sharma put up his Aadhaar number on his Twitter handle on being challenged by the user, who was unconvinced of the security apparatus in place to protect personal information.

Walk your talk @rssharma3!

Publish your Aadhaar details to the public if you have so much trust in this 13ft wall secured system.https://t.co/oZevZyqosN

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— @kingslyj (@kingslyj) July 28, 2018

Sharma's tweet elicited a flurry of responses, with people trying to trace his data from the public portal.

He had previously told The Print that the personal data of citizens, including biometrics, cannot be compromised by sharing one's Aadhaar number. Sharma's tenure as Chairman of India's apex telecom regulatory body ends on August 9.

The TRAI chairman also defended the constitutional validity of Aadhaar, saying it was beneficial in trimming wastage in the disbursal of subsidies. Sharma is believed to be in the running to head the new data protection authority to be instituted in line with the recommendations made by the regulator in its paper on data protection and privacy.

When the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) was set up in 2009, the former civil servant was selected as its first director-general. He has subsequently been a vocal proponent of UIDAI's security infrastructure.

However, multiple petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of such a database, and how making biometric enrollment mandatory was a violation of an individual's privacy. The Court reserved its verdict following the conclusion of hearings in May.

In its report published on July 27, the Justice Srikrishna Committee on data protection recommended that the Aadhaar Act be amended "significantly" to bolster privacy safeguards. It also observed that only government departments or authorities that have secured the approval of the UIDAI can request Aadhaar details for rendering services.

The Committee is also in favour of giving greater autonomy to the UIDAI so that it operates independently of the government, in the role of a formal regulator.

The Srikrishna Committee's report is part of the government’s larger attempt at framing a draft Personal Data Protection Bill that will set the guidelines for the collection and storage of sensitive personal information.

Also read: Let the challenge run for some time: RS Sharma on Twitter trolls over Aadhaar