New Delhi: Parliament on Monday passed an amendment bill which allows voluntary use of Aadhaar as proof of identity for users to open bank accounts and get mobile phone connections.
The Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019, was passed by Rajya Sabha by a voice vote.
Also read: Why Modi Government is Amending the Aadhaar Act and What it Means for You
The Bill, which also provides for a stiff Rs 1 crore penalty and a jail term for private entities violating provisions on Aadhaar data, had been passed in the Lok Sabha on July 4.
The Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on June 24. Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had said then that the Bill was people-friendly and citizen-centric.
The amendments provide for use of Aadhaar number for KYC authentication on voluntary basis under the Telegraph Act, 1885, and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.