SC Allows Urgent Hearing Of Plea Against Compulsory Linkage Of Aadhaar For Welfare Schemes

Supreme Court of India on Friday has agreed to hear an urgent plea to stay the Notifications issued under Section 7 of the impugned Act, by various Ministries, making possession of Aadhaar number as a mandatory pre-condition for availing 17 social benefits schemes like Midday meal, Disability pension etc. The petition will be heard by a two Judge Bench on May,17.

Senior Advocate Shyam Divan mentioned the matter today and submitted that the Government departments have given a deadline of 30th June 2017 under most of the Notifications issued under Section 7 of the Aadhaar Act, for an individual to obtain an Aadhaar number in order to continue receiving benefits under government schemes. Accordingly, from 1st July 2017 an individual who is not willing to part with his personal biometric information will be denied social benefits, which he/she is otherwise entitled to, on the sole basis of non-production of an Aadhaar number.

The petition filed by Ramon Magsaysay Award winner Shanta Sinha and feminist researcher Kalyani Sen Menon also challenges the vires of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016.