Aadhar-based attendance: HC seeks govt reply
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has sought the Ministry of Ayush’s response on a plea challenging its decision to install Aadhaar-based biometric attendance system in colleges.Justice C Hari Shankar asked the ministry and the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) to file their counter affidavits on the plea and listed the matter for further hearing on May 23.
The petition, filed by Uttarakhand-based Uttaranchal Ayurvedic College, sought an order quashing the January 9 minutes-of-the-meeting between the ministry and the CCIM, where the Centre issued directions to conduct surprise inspections in all colleges possessing five-year permission, claiming it is in contravention of the ministry’s July 2012 notification and the law laid down by the Supreme Court.
It said the apex court has held that an institute can be inspected only when a complaint is received or by a team appointed by the central council only.
The petition, filed through advocate Amit Sahni, said a decision was also taken in the January meeting for implementing the Aadhaar-enabled geo-location based biometric attendance system for staff and faculty of the colleges.
It claimed that the minutes-of-the-meeting are “bad in law and liable to be quashed” as this system is in violation of the apex court’s constitution bench judgment saying Aadhaar and its usage cannot be forced upon any individual.
“The minutes of meetings were not sent to all ayurvedic colleges and also the same was not uploaded on the website of the Ministry of Ayush. Authorities may proceed with the decision, therefore the petition,” it said.