'Dissent on Aadhaar' is essential reading for believers and sceptics alike

A collection of 15 well-argued essays is essential reading for believers and sceptics alike, says Vipul Mudgal

Aadhaar is about to be a decade old. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) came up in 2009 under the Planning Commission. Ever since, it has altered our lives irrevocably. In normal circumstances, a decade is long enough for a public policy to show results or to provide clear indications of where things are headed. But normal circumstances do not apply to Aadhaar, which has emerged as an article of faith. In 2016, it got the backing of an Act of Parliament, and the policy continued despite a historical Supreme Court judgment upholding privacy as a fundamental right.

The jury