UIDAI revokes tender for social media surveillance

The law officer did not provide a reason for this but said UIDAI is withdrawing the tender floated by it in May 2018 for setting up a social media monitoring hub.

The Unique Identification Agency of India has dropped a contentious and controversial plan to set up a social media monitoring hub, Attorney General of India KK Venugopal informed the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

UIDAI, in May 2018, floated a tender for hiring an agency for social media management services through Central Public Procurement (CPP) portal. (REUTERS/ Representative Image)

The law officer did not provide a reason for this but said UIDAI is withdrawing the tender floated by it in May 2018 for setting up a social media monitoring hub. “It may be noted that UIDAI neither has no plans to revive the same tender nor is floating a similar tender again,” he said during a petition by All India Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra challenging the plan.

UIDAI, in May 2018, floated a tender for hiring an agency for social media management services through Central Public Procurement (CPP) portal, but put the process on hold after Moitra filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Supreme Court in July 2018.

UIDAI’s original defence was that the plan was to counter “negative sentiments” on Aadhaar.

A similar attempt by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to create a social media hub to map social media accounts was nipped after the top court commented it was a step towards creating a “surveillance state. ”

UIDAI’s lawyer refused to be quoted on the matter.

Moitra tweeted about her “victory”, tagging her counsel, Abhishek Manu Singhvi. “Huge victory today- on my petition UIDAI tells Supreme Court they are withdrawing tender for intended Social Media Surveillance Hub and says not planning to float any more in near future,” she tweeted.