Lifting its earlier restriction, the Supreme on Thursday permitted voluntary use of Aadhaar cards in welfare schemes.
Welfare schemes like MGNREGA, all pension schemes and the provident fund besides ambitious flagship programmes like ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna’ of the NDA government can now be availed with the help of Aadhar card.
These schemes were in addition to LPG and PDS schemes in which the apex court had allowed the voluntary use of Aadhaar cards.
The five–judge Constitution bench of Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of India HL Dattu, comprised of Justices M Y Eqbal, C Nagappan, Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy.
We also make it clear that Aadhaar card scheme is purely voluntary and not mandatory till the matter is finally decided by this court, this way or the other way. The Union of India to follow all other orders passed by this court since September 23, 2013.
— Supreme Court Bench
The plea for inclusion of the four additional schemes under the aadhar card umbrella faced stiff opposition from a battery of senior lawyers like Soli Sorabjee, Gopal Subramanium and Shyam Divan.
The Guinness record holder scheme, Jan Dhan Yojna, claims to have helped open 18.70 crore accounts by October 7, 2015.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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