Does Aadhaar have Prez nod? SC asks Centre

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre whether it had obtained presidential nod to start UPA government’s flagship scheme of issuing Aadhaar cards by the Unique Identification Authority of India.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre whether it had obtained presidential nod to start UPA government’s flagship scheme of issuing Aadhaar cards by the Unique Identification Authority of India.

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A three-judge bench posed the query during the hearing of a bunch of petitions challenging the scheme on the ground it had no “legal sanctity.” It even observed there was nothing wrong if the government made citizens join the scheme voluntarily and not make it mandatory for availing welfare schemes.

The court directed SG Mohan Parasaran to explain the legal sanctity of the project. It fixed February 11 to hear the matter further. SC had on September 23 given interim orders holding the authorities cannot make Aadhaar cards mandatory for extending welfare schemes.

Senior advocate Shyam Divan said the scheme made every individual’s life vulnerable to exploitation since the job of collecting data was given to private organisations.