New Delhi, Mar 13 (UNI) In a much relief to common man, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that the deadline for compulsory linkage of unique 12-digit identification number Aadhaar with bank accounts and mobile phones will stand extended till its final judgement is pronounced in the case.
A constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, observed that Government cannot insist for mandatory Aadhaar.
Many appeals have been filed before the apex court challenging the constitutional validity of Aadhaar and the Centre's making it mandatory to link it with bank accounts, mobile phones and others.
The Apex Court allowed the submissions earlier made by the Attorney General (AG) K K Venugopal, senior law officer representing the Central government, that the linking of Aadhaar with bank accounts and mobile phones and other services should be extended.
"We also direct that the extension of the last date for Aadhar linkage to 31 March 2018 shall apply, besides the schemes of the Ministries or Departments of the Union government to all state governments with the writ petition pending before the Apex Court," the five-judge bench of the Apex Court said in its interim order.
"It is also directed that the same shall also control and govern the Passports (1st Amendment) Rules, 2018. Let the matter be listed tomorrow," the SC said.
The other Judges in the five-judge Constitution bench were, Justices Arjan Kumar Sikri, Ashok Bhushan, D. Y. Chandrachud, and A. M. Khanwilkar.
UNI XC PS 2006