SC verdict: Aadhaar not mandatory for SIM connection, declares Aadhaar constitutionally valid

NP NEWS Network

New Delhi

In the historic verdict on the Aadhar scheme, the Supreme Court (SC) said that Aadhar is not mandatory for SIM connection. From now onwards, telecom service providers and companies can’t force customers for the mandatory linkage of Aadhar card with mobile numbers.
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The five judges under the chairmanship of Chief Justice of India Deepak Mishra read out the results. The Aadhar card has become the identity of the citizens of the country, said the Supreme Court at the beginning of the hearing.

The Supreme Court is about to give its final verdict on six important cases on 26 September. The final hearing on the validity of the Aadhar card was given in the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

As there were restrictions of liking Aadhar with new and existing mobile number by some private telecom service provider companies like- Reliance Jio, Vodafone, Idea, Bharti Airtel and BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited),  before this hearing of SC.

In this hearing, the Supreme Court has canceled the section 33 (2) of the Aadhar Act. According to this section, there was a provision to store the authentication data of the citizens, for five years.

The Supreme Court has canceled this provision, now this information can be stored only for six months. As per the order was given judge of SC Arjan Kumar Sikri, “Education brought us from the thumb to the signature, while the technology has brought us back from the signature to the fingerprint”.

Now Aadhar has become the identity of the citizens. Supreme court also instructed the Central government that, it should enforce a strong law for the protection of the Aadhar data.

Supreme Court also stated Aadhar scheme is constitutionally valid and there is nothing in the Aadhar act which violates the Right to privacy.

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Provisions by the government on making Aadhar mandatory in sectors:

–         For opening bank account and for getting new mobile SIM card, Aadhar is not mandatory.

–         If a student is unable to give the 12 digits unique identification number, he/she can’t be deprived of the scheme.

–         Telecom service providers and private banks can’t seek mandatory linkage of mobile number with Aadhar.

–         The Supreme Court said that it is wrong to make compulsion of Aadhar no. in the admission procedures of School, colleges and other national organizations.

–         Now Aadhar card number is not required in CBSE, NEET, UGC unlike earlier when it was mandatory.

–         Private companies can’t use the Aadhar data, as per said by the Supreme Court in its historic verdict.

What is the government’s argument?

The chairmen of the Unique Identification Authority (UIDAI)  of India Ajay Bhushan shared views on the behalf of Government and UIDAI. He mentioned the following points:

–         The Aadhar scheme doesn’t violate the Right to privacy of individuals.

–         Aadhar data is fully protected.

–         Government’s welfare schemes reach to everyone who needs it, because of this Aadhar scheme.

–          Corruption is getting reduced.

–         If Aadhar card becomes mandatory in banks, income tax, and transitions, the black money can be stopped.

–         ‘One nation- one identity’ is necessary, around 120 cores of people have made their own Aadhar cards and they are happy with it.