The Supreme Court on Monday made it clear that the unique identification number - Aadhaar - can't be made mandatory for availing benefits under social welfare schemes.
A bench of Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, however, said Aadhaar could be required for other schemes.
Senior counsel Shyam Divan had challenged a spate of orders issued by the government making Aadhaar mandatory to access benefits under various welfare schemes like opening accounts.
Divan told the court that it had said earlier that acquiring Aadhaar card would be voluntary and not mandatory.
An August 11 order had limited the use of Aadhaar number for getting foodgrain and kerosene under PDS and LPG.
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Chief Justice Khehar expressed his inability to constitute a seven-judge bench as sought by the petitioner, saying hearing the case would take a long time.
Divan had appeared for former Karnataka High Court judge K.S. Puttaswamy - one of the petitioners.
--IANS
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