NEW DELHI: The deadline for mandatory linking of Aadhaar to bank accounts, mobile numbers and welfare schemes has been extended till March 31 next year for those who do not have the 12-digit biometric identification number, the Centre today told the Supreme Court.
It told a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra that the deadline extension would apply only to those persons who do not have Aadhaar and are willing to enrol for it. Those who have Aadhaar will have to stick to the December 31 deadline.
“We (Centre) have decided to extend it till March 31, 2018,” Attorney General KK Venugopal told the bench, which also comprised Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud.
Venugopal told the court that no coercive action would be taken against those who do not have Aadhaar but were willing to enrol for it. They would not be denied the benefits of social welfare schemes till March 31 next, he added.
The Centre had approached the court to defer hearing the case because a committee headed by Justice BN Krishna was looking into drafting a data protection law. Its next meeting is slated for November 7.
Senior Advocate Shyam Divan opposed the deferment of hearing. “The manner in which Aadhaar is spreading is completely unconstitutional. People’s bank accounts are being wiped out. Now a school child cannot go for his 10th exam without putting his fingers for Aadhaar. This is a case of civil rights and needs to be heard at the earliest,” he said.
However, Justice Chandrachud said that since the Aadhaar linking deadline was extended, “What is the hurry? We should not rush the drafting of the data protection law.”
What the Central govt told the SC
”The government will be open for the deadline for linking Aadhaar to various programmes being extended for another three months till March 31, 2018 for those who do not have Aadhaar”