SC Verdict On Aadhaar In Nov, Centre Extends Deadline Till Dec 31:- After the Centre informed the Supreme Court, that it will extend the Aadhaar-PAN linking deadline till December 31, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said that it would hear a batch of petitions on Aadhaar-related matters in November. Aadhaar is provided mainly to avail the benefit of social welfare schemes.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said there was no urgency to hear the matter, after Attorney General K K Venugopal told the bench that the Centre will extend the September 30 deadline.

The matter before the bench was presented by Senior advocate Shyam Divan, who represents various petitioners even. The bench also comprised of Justices Amitava Roy and A M Khanwilkar. Early hearing on the batch of petitions was sought by them. Also, the duo have challenged the Centre’s move to make Aadhaar mandatory for availing benefits of of various social welfare schemes.

When Divan referred to the deadline of September 30, Venugopal said, “We (Centre) will extend it to December 31”.

“The urgency is not there. It will be listed in the first week of November,” the bench said.

On July 7, a three-judge bench had said that a larger bench should finally decide all the issues arising out of Aadhaar. The apex court, later on July 12, said all matters relating to Aadhaar, including the aspect of right to privacy, will be heard by its five-constitution bench. On July 18, a nine-judge bench was constituted by the five-judge bench to decide on right to privacy.

On August 24, a nine-judge Constitution bench had declared Right to Privacy as a fundamental right. It said that under Article 21 and as a part of the freedoms guaranteed by Part III of the Constitution, the Right to privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of the right to life and personal liberty.

Three separate petitions were being heard by the apex court, challenging government’s notification making Aadhaar mandatory for availing benefits of various social welfare schemes.  

SUPRAJA