NEW DELHI: The Centre has cautioned states against disclosing Aadhaar data and other personal details of individuals on their official websites, warning such actions can attract jail term of three years.
The Union IT Ministry has also asked the states to review website content of various departments and take “precautions” to ensure that personal data of individuals, including Aadhaar numbers or bank account details, do not appear on portals.
The direction comes within days of a series data breach coming to light in Jharkhand, wherein Aadhaar numbers of lakhs of pension beneficiaries were displayed on a website of the State Government.
IT Secretary Aruna Sundararajan has shot off a letter to chief secretaries of all states and UTs over data sharing on websites of departments, asking them to ensure strict compliance with provisions of the Information Technology Act 2000 and the Aadhaar Act 2016. (AGENCIES)