(Image source from: Aadhar should not be made Compulsory-SC})

Supreme Court clarified today that Aadhar Card should not be made compulsory for any services including for gas connection.  The Bench of Justice BS Chauhan and Justice SA Bobde ruled that the Center and State Governments should not insist on Aadhar Card for providing essential services to them.  

In addition to it, the Apex Court directed the Center and State Governments not to issue Aadhar Cards to the illegal immigrants.  

The Supreme Court gave those directions in response to the PIL filed by the retired Justice of High Court of Karnataka KS Puttaswamy.  The PIL urges that the Aadhar is claimed as voluntary by the Government but it is linked with the essential services provided by the Government.  Even marriage registration was denied in Maharashtra for want of Aadhar Card.  

The Supreme Court while staying it called for the explanation on it from Center and State Governments.  The Court also trashed the claim of the Government that a sum of Rs.50000 crores was already spent on the project.  

There were many comments from intellectuals about Aadhar previously questioning the authority of UIDAI to collect personal information and also the security for the individual’s personal data.  Aadhar card that is propagated as a voluntary service and attracting by calling it as “a common man’s right” is keeping the record of people of entire Nation and there is no guarantee from the Government that is data secure.  

-SriJa