The Centre’s attempt to revive use of Aadhaar for all social benefit schemes other than PDS and lPG got a ray of hope on Wednesday as a five-judge Constitution Bench, that began hearing the Centre’s application for interim orders, said it may consider allowing the plea on an undertaking by Centre that getting Aadhaar will be voluntary and those not having it will not be put to any disadvantage.
The Bench of Chief Justice Hl Dattu, Justices MY Eqbal, C Nagappan, Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy, which is yet to decide on the issue made the statement after hearing Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi for the Centre and a battery of senior lawyers representing various Government organisations favouring extension of Aadhaar to all services and schemes in public domain.
The petitioners, who challenged Aadhaar on the ground that personal details and biometrics of citizens, are being collected by a private agency without any legal sanction, however, objected to the Bench’s suggestion.
It said that a five-judge Bench cannot modify a three-judge Bench’s earlier order while allowing the arguments against Aadhaar to be decided later by a nine-judge Bench. The arguments will continue on Thursday.