PIL in HC claims GPay unauthorisedly accessing Aadhaar data of citizens

NEW DELHI: A PIL has been moved in the Delhi High Court alleging that Google's online payment system, G Pay, was unauthorisedly accessing, using and storing Aadhaar ad banking information of citizens in violation of various statutory provisions.

The petition was listed on Thursday before a bench of Justices Vibhu Bakhru and Prateek Jalan which asked the petitioner, Abhijit Mishra, to file an affidavit indicating all the PILs, including those against G Pay, filed by him in the past and the status of each petition.

With the direction, the court listed the petition, filed through advocates Payal Bahl and Prakhar Gupta, for hearing on January 14, 2021.

Mishra, a financial economist, has claimed in his plea that G Pay was accessing Aadhaar data in alleged violation of the Aadhaar Act of 2016, Payments and Settlement Systems Act 2007 and Banking Regulations Act 1949.

He has contended that according to a response received from the Unique Identification Authority Of India (UIDAI) under the Right to Information Act, no permission has been issued to G Pay to access, use and store citizens Aadhaar details nor has Google moved an application seeking the same.

He has further claimed that such storage of Aadhaar and banking details of citizens by G Pay amounts to violation of the fundamental right of privacy.

The petition has sought directions to UIDAI to take action against G Pay for the alleged violation of provisions of the Aadhaar Act.

It has also sought directions to UIDAI and Reserve Bank of India to prevent alleged unauthorized access of the Aadhar and banking information of the citizens of India.