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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Deadline to link Aadhaar with government schemes extended till 31 March
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Deadline to link Aadhaar with government schemes extended till 31 March

The NDA has told the Supreme Court it was willing to extend the deadline for linking Aadhaar to various government schemes to 31 March 2018

Petitioners in the Supreme Court have challenged the government’s move to make Aadhaar mandatory for government schemes as well linking it with mobile numbers and bank accounts. Photo: Priyanka Parashar/MintPremium
Petitioners in the Supreme Court have challenged the government’s move to make Aadhaar mandatory for government schemes as well linking it with mobile numbers and bank accounts. Photo: Priyanka Parashar/Mint

New Delhi: The Centre told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that it was willing to extend the deadline for linking Aadhaar to various schemes to 31 March next year.

It was, however, clarified that this would apply only to those who have not yet enrolled for Aadhaar.

The previous deadline of 31 December for mandatory linking to various services will continue to hold for those who already have an Aadhaar card.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra did not pass an interim order and said that it would hear all pleas challenging making Aadhaar mandatory for various schemes on 30 October.

Shyam Divan, one of the petitioners opposed the mandatory linking of Aadhaar with PAN card, said that Aadhaar’s rampant penetration with respect to mobile phones, bank accounts, etc. was completely unconstitutional. He also sought an early hearing of the cases challenging such mandatory linking.

Attorney General K.K. Venugopal said that the hearing should be deferred since it was in the process of drafting of a data protection legislation through an expert group headed by former Supreme Court judge B.N. Srikrishna.

On 24 August, in a path breaking ruling, the apex court held that privacy is a fundamental right under the Constitution of India.

A total of 22 cases have been tagged by the court to be heard by a smaller constitution bench on Aadhaar. They challenge several aspects of Aadhaar and the use and sharing of data collected under the programme.

Among these challenges are those involving making Aadhaar mandatory for social welfare benefits, infringement of the right to privacy, and making Aadhaar mandatory for filing income tax returns and for obtaining and retaining a permanent account number, or PAN. A challenge to its linking to mobile phones will also be addressed by the court.

The Centre had last extended the deadline for obtaining Aadhaar for availing government schemes and subsidies by three months to 31 December. The extension was to be applicable only for those who are yet to apply for Aadhaar.

As many as 135 welfare schemes (of 35 ministries) including the free cooking gas (LPG) to poor women, kerosene and fertiliser subsidy, targeted public distribution system and the government’s employment guarantee programme will be covered by the extension.

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Published: 25 Oct 2017, 05:37 PM IST
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