Ready to extend mandatory Aadhaar linking deadline for 131 services to March 31 next year: Centre to SC
The Centre told the Supreme Court that the deadline for mandatory linking of Aadhaar with mobile numbers will not be extended.
Mandatory linking of Aadhaar will be extended to March 31 next year. Photo for representation.
New Delhi,UPDATED: Dec 7, 2017 12:15 IST
The Centre today told the Supreme Court that it is ready to extend the deadline for mandatory linking of Aadhaar to 131 services and welfare schemes till March 31 next year.
Attorney General K K Venugopal, appearing on behalf of the Narendra Modi government, however told the court that the deadline for linking Aadhaar to mobile numbers will not be extended from February 6, 2018.
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The Supreme Court will now set up a five-judge Constitution bench next week to hear the pleas seeking stay on the Centre's decision on mandatory linking of Aadhaar.
ALL THAT HAPPENED IN THE AADHAAR CASE HEARING IN SUPREME COURT TODAY:
- Attorney General K K Venugopal told a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra that the Centre was willing to extend the deadline for linking of Aadhaar with various services and schemes from December 31 to March 31 next year.
- The Attorney General, however, told the Supreme Court that February 6 next year would remain the deadline for linking Aadhaar with mobile number to avail uninterrupted mobile services.
- Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for those opposing the Aadhaar scheme, told the bench that the Centre should give an undertaking that no coercive steps would be taken against those who fail to link their Aadhaar with various services.
- The Supreme Court on October 30 said that a Constitution Bench would start hearing on the clutch of pleas against Aadhaar scheme from the last week of November.
- A nine-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court recently held that Right to Privacy is a Fundamental Right under the Constitution. Several petitioners challenging the validity of Aadhaar had claimed it violated privacy rights.
(with inputs from Anusha Soni and PTI)
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