Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar on Wednesday agreed to set up a five-judge Constitution Bench to decide all issues arising out of Aadhaar, including the prominent one — government making the unique identification number mandatory to avail social welfare schemes.
The hearing will be held on July 18 and 19.
The Centre on Wednesday requested an early hearing saying “millions of people are involved in the outcome of the case.”
Attorney General K.K. Venugopal, pleading on behalf of the government, and Shyam Divan arguing for the petitioners joined hands to press the top court for early setting up of the Bench on Aadhaar.
A vacation bench of the apex court, on June 27, refused to pass an interim order against the Centre’s notification making Aadhaar mandatory for availing the benefits of social welfare schemes, with the government assuring it that no one would be deprived for want of this identification.
The court had observed that no interim order could be passed merely on the “apprehension” raised by the petitioners that somebody might be deprived of the benefits under the various social welfare schemes due to lack of Aadhaar, especially when no such affected person has come before it.
The apex court was hearing three separate petitions challenging government’s notification making Aadhaar mandatory for availing benefits of social welfare schemes.
The court had passed a slew of orders asking the government and its agencies not to make Aadhaar mandatory for extending benefits of their welfare schemes.
It, however, had allowed the Centre to seek Aadhaar card voluntarily from citizens for extending benefits of schemes like the LPG subsidy, Jan Dhan scheme and Public Distribution System.
Source:The Hindu
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