A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been lodged in the Supreme Court, urging for an alternative Digital KYC (Know Your Customer) or e-KYC procedure for acid attack survivors suffering from eye disfigurement [Pragya Prasun vs Union of India].
The bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Mishra, on Friday, acknowledged the significance of the plea and issued a notice to the Union government, scheduling a hearing for July.
“Addressing KYC requirements for acid attack victims is crucial. We’ll issue notice and address this important issue,” remarked CJI Chandrachud.
The petition highlights that one of the petitioners, an acid attack survivor with severe eye disfigurement and facial damage, attempted to open a bank account at ICICI Bank in July 2023.
However, she encountered difficulties completing the Digital KYC/e-KYC process as the bank insisted on capturing a “live photograph” requiring her to blink her eyes.
According to the petition, meeting the mandatory ‘liveness’ criterion under the RBI-regulated KYC process necessitates customers to blink before the camera.
Subsequently, the bank made an exception for the petitioner after social media outcry over the issue.
The PIL emphasizes that many such survivors encounter similar challenges and urges the Court to direct the Centre to formulate fresh guidelines for alternative methods of conducting Digital KYC/e-KYC for acid attack survivors.
Additionally, the petition seeks directives for all public and private establishments conducting Digital KYC/e-KYC to implement any forthcoming guidelines effectively.
Advocates Nimisha Menon, Yamuna Rizvi, Ishita Soni, and Pranya Madan drafted the petition, represented by advocate Nitin Saluja, and Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra finalized the plea.
