Centre Ready To Extend Deadline For Aadhaar Linking To March 31: AG Tells SC, Constitution Bench Likely To Hear The Matter Next Week

Attorney General KK Venugopal on Thursday submitted before the Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice AM Khanwilkar that the Centre intends to extend the deadline for mandatory linking of Aadhaar number with bank accounts and various schemes and services from December 31, 2017, to March 31, 2018.

However, the deadline for linking Aadhaar number with mobile numbers shall continue to be February 6, 2018. Also, the extension in respect of bank account too shall be made available only to those persons who are not Aadhaar card holders.

Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing on behalf of the petitioners, requested for the benefit of the said extension to be made available to Aadhaar card holders also.

Further, an ardent plea was made before the bench for the matter to be listed next week for an interlocutory hearing on the grant of interim stay or a statement from the Centre to the effect that no coercive steps be initiated in event of failure to link Aadhaar with mobile numbers or bank accounts. It was also prayed that the matter be finally disposed of by second or third week of January 2018.

CJI Dipak Misra hinted at convening  a constitutional bench next week for hearing the matter.