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Kerala HC Rules Aadhaar for Tatkal Legal
24 Jul
Summary
- Kerala High Court ruled Aadhaar authentication for Tatkal tickets lawful.
- Authentication prevents deceit, manipulation, and bulk booking by touts.
- Court suggested PAN card as an alternative verification method.
The Kerala High Court recently ruled that the Aadhaar-based authentication requirement for Tatkal train ticketing does not infringe upon a user's right to privacy. This decision came in response to a public interest litigation challenging the mandatory Aadhaar OTP authentication for booking Tatkal tickets online via the IRCTC website.
The court acknowledged the Ministry of Railways' rationale, which cites experiences of deceit, manipulation, and bulk booking that historically hindered genuine passengers. The authentication process is designed to prevent touts and automated software from monopolizing the system, ensuring fair access for individual travelers.
Furthermore, the court noted that the Aadhaar authentication operates within legal frameworks, requires informed consent, and uses encrypted channels with data minimization principles. The Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) user undergoes a one-time verification, not for every booking.
In its ruling, the court found no violation of privacy rights. It also suggested that using a PAN card with its associated OTP verification could serve as an alternative, producing comparable results to Aadhaar verification.
