Supreme Court Asks The Govt To Clarify Its Stand On Aadhaar

The Supreme Court has asked the Narendra Modi-led government to clarify within two weeks if it would carry on with the UPA government’s plan of using Aadhaar as a proof of identity for direct transfer of cash subsidies for social welfare schemes.

A bench headed by Chief Justice HL Dattu told Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, “We have read it in the newspapers that there is some rethinking on the scheme. You have to tell us by Friday next.”

The court’s direction comes in the backdrop of various media reports suggesting that the Modi government was reconsidering the Aadhaar card scheme. It is pertinent to mention here that the BJP had heavily criticised the scheme when it was in opposition. It argued that collection of biometric data was in violation of a person’s right to privacy.

A number of petitions challenging the UPA government’s move of setting up the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) are pending before the apex court. The Modi government has not taken any stand before the court.

On September 23, 2013, the Supreme Court had ordered the government not to make Aadhaar card mandatory for providing benefits under social welfare schemes.