Everyone who uses gas cylinders should know this. Because if the deadline is after January 31st, many people have doubts whether the cylinder will arrive or not. Find out the complete details about them here.
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LPG Gas Cylinder: From Jammalamadugu in AP to the villages of the country, the news of the LPG gas cylinder biometric expiry is currently creating a stir. A large-scale campaign is being carried out on WhatsApp that gas connections will be cancelled if Aadhaar verification is not completed by January 31, 2026. Although there is no official government notice, messages coming out on social media are worrying consumers. People are queuing at gas agencies due to this campaign.
Gas dealers are also using this confusion to their advantage. They are warning consumers that biometrics are mandatory when they go to book a cylinder, otherwise they will face problems after January. Although there is no official order on the notice boards, this deadline is being turned into a law through mere words. Before the authorities say anything, dealers are taking out biometric scanners and pressuring people.
In fact, this January 2026 deadline is related to the internal data update process of the government. The oil companies have decided this deadline to correct the errors that arise in the process of directly transferring the gas subsidy to the beneficiaries’ accounts. The main purpose of this process is to remove fake connections and identify accounts that are not linked to Aadhaar. This is intended to streamline government records, not to scare consumers.
Looking at the legal aspects, Aadhaar verification is applicable only to those who are getting subsidy as per the Aadhaar Act 2016. These provisions do not apply to ordinary consumers who buy gas at market price. While getting subsidy is a convenience, getting cooking gas is a basic need of citizens. There is currently no legal basis to say that biometrics is mandatory for non-subsidized connections.
The Supreme Court’s previous verdict in the Puttaswamy case is crucial here. The court made it clear that Aadhaar should not be forced for services other than those for availing benefits of welfare schemes. The bench said that denying services if biometrics fail would be a violation of fundamental rights. In this context, the dealers’ threats of stopping gas supply seem to contradict the court’s verdicts.
Dealers are misinterpreting the rules due to the pressure to meet targets at the field level. The verification process is not just for records, but is being used as a weapon to punish consumers. The elderly and manual laborers are forced to go around the agencies as they are not fingerprinted. This confusion is causing great hardship to the elderly and women.
There are also many concerns about data security. If confidentiality is not maintained while collecting Aadhaar numbers and mobile phone details, there is a risk of cyber crimes. In the past, incidents of SIM card fraud and OTP money laundering have come to light. In such situations, mass collection of biometrics without proper security standards can become dangerous.
The government needs to respond to this matter immediately and provide a written explanation. The difference between those who get the subsidy and those who pay the market price should be clearly explained. Alternative verification methods should be made available for those who do not have Aadhaar. This confusion can only be resolved if action is taken against dealers who are troubling the common man in the name of regulations.
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