New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday said the unique identification number – Aadhaar card – cannot be made mandatory for availing benefits under social welfare schemes.
This was stated by a bench of Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul.
Senor counsel Shyam Divan had challenged a spare of orders issued by the government making Aadhaar mandatory to access benefits under various schemes.
Earlier in October, the court allowed use of Aadhar cards for MNREGA, Jan Dhan Yojana, pension and provident fund schemes.
The court had earlier restricted the use of Adhaar cards to public distribution system and LPG subsidies, after which the government rushed to the court for a permission to use it for more services.
