People eligible for Aadhaar can enrol using iris scan if fingerprint unavailable: Govt
New Delhi, Dec 10: The government on Saturday said a person who is eligible for Aadhaar can enrol using Iris scan in case fingerprints are unavailable.
The statement comes after Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar intervened to ensure the enrolment of a woman, Josymol P Jose, in Kerala who could not get enrolled for Aadhaar as she did not have fingers.
A team from the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) visited Jose at her home in Kumarakam, Kottayam district, in Kerala, the same day and got her Aadhaar number generated, the statement said.
Chandrasekhar said an advisory has been sent to all Aadhaar Service Kendras giving instructions that Aadhaar should be issued to people like Jose or to others having blurred finger prints or similar disability, by taking alternate biometrics.
"A person who is eligible for Aadhaar but unable to provide fingerprints may enrol using only iris scan. Similarly, an eligible person whose irises cannot be captured due to any reason may enrol using only her or his fingerprint," the statement said.
An eligible person who is unable to provide both finger and iris biometrics may enrol without submitting any of the two, as per the statement.
The name, gender, address and date and year of birth of the person who is unable to provide both finger and iris biometrics are captured, along with the available biometrics while highlighting the missing ones in the enrolment software, it said.
Further, a photograph is taken in the manner specified in the guidelines to highlight the unavailability of fingers or iris or both and the Supervisor of the Aadhaar enrolment centre is to validate such enrolment as an exceptional one, it said.
"Every eligible person who undergoes the enrolment process by submitting the required information may be issued an Aadhaar number, irrespective of any inability to provide biometrics," the statement said.
UIDAI also inquired into the reasons why Aadhaar number did not get issued to Jose when she enrolled earlier and learnt that this was because of the Aadhaar enrolment operator not following the exceptional enrolment procedure.
According to the statement, UIDAI enrols about 1,000 people every day under exceptional enrolment as above.
"Till date, UIDAI has issued Aadhaar numbers to nearly 29 lakh persons who had missing fingers or were otherwise unable to provide finger or iris or both biometrics," the statement added.
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Karnataka power tussle: BJP leader calls Siddaramaiah 'Sultan for 15 days'
Bengaluru/Bagalkot (PTI): In the midst of the ongoing power tussle within the ruling Congress in Karnataka, senior BJP leader and MP Govind Karjol called CM Siddaramaiah "Pandrah din-ka-Sultan" (Sultan for 15 days), and said after that, he will not be the chief minister of the state.
Speculation has once again surfaced within the Congress party and political circles about a possible decision on leadership change and cabinet reshuffle after May 4, once the results for Assembly elections in four states and one union territory, along with bypolls to two Assembly constituencies in Karnataka, are announced.
"With the fight for the CM chair in the Congress, there seems to be no administration at Vidhana Soudha. The result for Siddaramaiah's CM chair fight will also be declared, along with election results for five states (four states and one union territory) and bypoll results for Bagalkot and Davanagere South Assembly seats in Karnataka," Karjol, a former Deputy CM, said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "As per today's information, Siddaramaiah is a Sardar for fifteen days, he is Pandrah din-ka-Sultan, after that Siddaramaiah will not be the chief minister of the state."
Stating that Shivakumar is ready to take up the top job, the MP said that this is the reason Siddaramaiah's supporters have gone to New Delhi to meet the Congress President.
"Already 40-odd legislators have lobbied in support of Siddaramaiah; about 50 are lobbying in support of Shivakumar. Amid this fight for the CM chair, the administration has completely collapsed," he said, urging the government to focus on addressing drinking water issues in various parts of the state amid summer by releasing at least Rs 50 crore per district.
PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi on Monday met Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and General Secretary (in charge of Karnataka) Randeep Surjewala in New Delhi and requested them to address the speculation regarding the change of leadership in Karnataka.
Subsequently, Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa too met the party leadership in Delhi.
Both Jarkiholi and Mahadevappa are considered close to Siddaramaiah.
While MLAs and leaders who want Shivakumar to be elevated as CM have recently claimed they expect some "sweet news" by May 15, which is their leader's birthday.
Meanwhile, a team of 40 MLAs is preparing to visit New Delhi to press the Congress high command for a Cabinet reshuffle.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka hit out at the Congress leadership for indulging in "power tussle" instead of addressing the people's concerns. He called the government "anti-people" and "dead" to the people of the state.
With the fight for the CM chair, the ruling Congress in Karnataka seems to be shifting to Delhi. Congress MLAs are repeatedly touring Delhi, upset over the state leadership amid a power struggle between the CM and Deputy CM. This proves that there is no value for the state leadership," he said.
Pointing out that the Deputy CM Shivakumar was not present at the recent special cabinet meeting, which decided on internal reservation among SCs, the opposition leader said, "If the cabinet meeting was held purposely, despite knowing that Shivakumar was in Delhi, it proves that there are factions within the party"
"This government is dead in a way," he said, as he hit out at the Congress MLAs and Ministers, including Shivakumar, for doing "Delhi Yatras" instead of addressing drinking water issues in various parts of the state amid summer, picking up in the state.
