New Delhi, March 27 (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday made it clear that Aadhaar cards cannot be made mandatory by the government and its agencies for extending benefits of social welfare schemes. A bench of Chief Justice J.S. Kaul, however, said that government and its agencies could not be stopped from seeking Aadhaar cards, which are based on biometrics, for non-welfare schemes such as opening of bank accounts. The bench said that a seven-judge bench needed to be set up to decide a batch of petitions challenging the Aadhaar scheme on various grounds including that it infringes on the Right to Privacy of citizens. However, the bench would be set up later, the court said.

Source: The Telegraph March 27, 2017 09:22 UTC