"Copies of PAN card and Four Photograaphs Please"

We had a temporary power connection provided for our house in Bengaluru when the construction was in progress and I wanted it to be regularised. I approached BESCOM which takes care of power supply to Bengaluru, rather, power shutdowns in Bengaluru, with a request to that end.

“Submit the application along with  1.Two copies of saledeed  2. Two copies of ‘Khata’ certificate 3. Two copies of ‘Khata’ extract  4. Two copies of tax paid receipt  5. Two copies of plan sanction order and Four passport size photographs .”

I have all the requirements except for the passport sized photographs and will have to get another set. About two years back I had my picture taken and got twenty four prints. I was fifty eight then. I had retired from service, my practice was ten years old and set, my house in Goa had been constructed and occupied, children had completed their education and were employed, my LIC policies had matured, my car loan had been repaid, I had no intention of opening any more bank accounts or taking loan from any agency -  in short nothing that would require copies of ration cards, driving licence, PAN card, photographs so on and so forth. I thought there was no need for so many prints but got them done just because the difference in cost between eight prints and twenty four was almost nothing. I thought that those twenty four may remain with me forever.

They did not last even six months!

You go to buy vegetables in the market and the vendor will ask for your PAN card, voter ID and two copies of passport size photographs. You get into a bus, the conductor will ask for photo ID and photographs. Go to a hotel and at the check in counter you need to provide photo ID and photographs, I register for a conference and have to give the organisers my ID copy and two passport size........  . I have had my picture taken twice after the twenty four that I have mentioned above and right now I have not got a single print with me. If my wife asks for my Photo ID and two passport sized photographs before serving me dinner today, I will have to sleep on empty stomach. Good for health, they say, anyway.

My bank account is thirty years old. They already have my PAN card, voter ID, Adhar card, ration card and what not as part of their KYC programme. Still,  when I go to open a RD “Sir, PAN card and photographs”, I want my mobile number to be incorporated with my SB account “Sir, PAN card and photos”, I want facility of net banking “PAN card and copies of photograph, sir”. I have fought with the bank clerk any number of times and have ultimately capitulated. Me -  “You already have everything that you are asking for under your KYC programme” .  Clerk - “Yes sir, but that file is with the head office and the system does not accept if I don’t scan PAN card and photos”. You can’t beat the system.

Today I went to the sub registrar’s office to register a power of attorney and the sub registrar wanted copies of driving licence, PAN card and two photographs.

The demand for my photographs is never ending.

This time I will have forty eight prints made. I will keep four of them in the bank locker and enter it in my will - to be used only when the attendant at the crematorium says “Adhar card copy and four passport size photographs please.”

I don’t think anymore photographs would be required thereafter.