Karvy fires employee for insisting woman to remove headscarf

Karvy Data Management Services (KDMS), which is entrusted with the Aadhaar enrolment work, has terminated the services of one of its employees following instructions from the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

Two others have also been suspended after the three “insisted” a woman to remove her headscarf.

The UIDAI instructed the company to take action against the employees of Karvy following a complaint lodged by Sakina Fathima, a resident of Humayun Nagar who alleged that employees of the company had “insisted” her to remove her headscarf at the time of taking photographs for the identity card.

“As soon Karvy received instructions, action has been initiated against the three employees as sought by the UIDAI. Karvy has also nominated a senior official to represent the matter with State Minority Commission,” sources told PTI.

State Minorities Commission (of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh) sent a second notice to both UIDAI and KDMS to appear for a hearing at its office on September 11 for passing final orders on the issue, Commission chairman Abid Rasool Khan said while confirming the action against the Karvy officials.

“I am directed to state that the following operator/ supervisor are proposed to be suspended with immediate effect due to serious process errors committed by them in the month of August.”

“You are therefore requested to debar them immediately from the enrolment operations and intimate action taken to this effect for record,” UIDAI deputy director Amita Bindroo ordered in a letter to Karvy.

After the notices were received from the Commission, Karvy also published advertisements in Urdu dailies to create awareness about the proper way to take photos.