No urgent hearing of PIL on privacy concerns on Aadhar card use: SC

The Supreme Court on Thursday declined the urgent hearing of a Public interest litigation (PIL) on privacy concerns regarding use of the Aadhar card by each individual.

The court had earlier referred the matter to a Constitution bench.

In October last year, the court had asked the government to address the most basic questions in a democracy governed by law such as: what are the privacy rights of citizens; are they protected equally with the same justice applied for the rich and the poor alike etc.

The Supreme Court also refused simultaneous applications by multiple agencies demanding relief from the court interim order limiting the use of Aadhaar pending the Court's final decision.

 

Earlier in October, the court allowed use of Aadhaar cards for MNREGA, Jan Dhan Yojana, pension and provident fund schemes.

The court had earlier restricted the use of Adhaar cards to public distribution system and LPG subsidies, after which the government rushed to the court for a permission to use it for more services.

Later, the court clarified that the linking of Aadhaar for providing these services will only be on voluntary basis and no person shall be deprived of any benefit for want of an Aadhaar Card.

The RBI had earlier moved the apex court seeking clarification of its August 11 interim order that asked the government not to link Aadhaar, the unique various identity number, for disbursal of subsidies and other sops under social welfare schemes.