Aadhaar/ Unique Identification Number (UID)

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This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content.

Linking Aadhaar card with PDS and LPG subsidies

The Times of India, Aug 12 2015

SC allows linking Aadhaar with PDS & LPG subsidies

But tells govt not to use it for other schemes

The Supreme Court allowed the use of Aadhaar identities for public distribution system beneficiaries and cooking gas users but withheld permission for linking the biometric identification scheme to other social welfare programmes. No one would be denied benefits under social welfare schemes for want of the unique identification number, said a bench of Justices J Chelameswar, S A Bobde and C Nagappan even as it permitted the government to link PDS and LPG subsidies to the Aadhaar card to check possible pilferage.

Though the order can be seen as partial validation of Aadhaar, its status as the principal identity number remains far from settled as the bench said the number could not be made a must for other purposes. The bench further asked the government to make citizens aware of the non-mandatory nature of the unique identification number (UID).

The court was informed by the petitioner that many gov ernment agencies, including RBI and Election Commission, were making Aadhaar cards mandatory identification for banking and voting purposes.

The three-judge bench also referred the petitions challenging the validity of making Aadhaar mandatory to a fivejudge constitution bench. The court also added a critical question whether right to privacy was part of citizen's fundamental right to life.

“The unique identification number or the Aadhaar card will not be used by the respondents for any purpose other than the PDS scheme and, in particular, for the purpose of distribution of foodgrains etc and cooking fuel, such as kerosene. The Aadhaar card may also be used for the purpose of the LPG distribution scheme,“ the bench said. It also directed the government not to share information collected by UIDAI with anybody or any authority except on the direction of the court for the purpose of criminal investigation. It asked the Centre to make people aware through public advertisements that Aadhaar card was not mandatory .