The reason? UIDAI says that given the “huge number of complaints regarding corruption and violations of the registration process of Aadhaar`s registration/updating centers under CSC e-Gov, it may not be possible to extend/renew the Memorandum of Understanding with CSC.” The poor safety of private enrollment partners also has implications for national security and the Modi government`s central promise to use biometric identification to reduce leakage within India`s welfare system. According to The Wire, the unscrupulous behavior of private recording partners allowed a Pakistani spy and “Lord Hanuman” not only to obtain Aadhaar numbers, but also to link them to a GPL connection. By letter of February 6, UIDAI refused to renew its Aadhaar contract with the Common Service Center network. There are currently 11,280 CCSs across India. In its letter to the Higher CSC Agency, UIDAI said: “It is invited to treat its exit from the UIDAI system in accordance with existing procedures and guidelines and to gradually close the Dadhaar registration/updating centers that work under it without causing inconvenience to the public.” This is remarkable, government officials say, because he admits that UIDAI was wrong to entrust the Aadhaar enrollment program to the CSC network, which operates many individual centers of individuals. Senior officials at CSC e-Governance Services India Limited are angry with UIDAI and have currently asked Aadhaar to reconsider its decision not to renew the registrar and biometric services contract. From Aadhaar`s privacy violations revealed by The Tribune to the problems of ELV operators making money from access to Aadhaar data, to several other corruption and extortion complaints, the CSC system has been infested with corruption. This relationship – and thus a sense of comfort for millions of Indians who have used CHCs not only for registration, but also to use other Aadhaar services like demographic and biometric processing – is now deteriorating. “There are people who have invested in biometric equipment to offer Aadhaar services. What are they going to do with it? Some may be moving from CCS to government buildings. Many can`t do it,” the official added.

Indeed, the timing of UIDAI`s move is mysterious. It was only in August 2017 that the boss of Aadhaar announced a new partnership with the Agency Nodal CSC to launch a “mobile van that would register people who can not go to the services of Aadhaar”. The initiative was announced by Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who in the past has also praised CSCs for their role in creating jobs in rural areas. Long queues, repeated stays in government offices and long distances will soon become the norm for the millions of poor residents who will be most affected by UIDAI`s decision not to renew their contract with common service centres (CSCs). These offenses range from significant (the Aadhaar data racket, revealed by The Tribune, fingered problems with VLE operators who want to make money) to minor privacy breaches (the personal details of Aadhaar`s hair from cricket captain M.S.) . . .