Aadhaar is Constitutionally valid, rules Supreme Court; what apex court said in its verdict

Questions over Aadhaar’s validity were laid to rest on Wednesday as the Supreme Court declared the 12-digit Unique Identification Number as as Constitutionally valid.

The apex court’s five-judge Constitution bench said Aadhaar means unique and it is better to be unique than being best.

Reading out the first of the three judgements, Justice A K Sikri said that there is sufficient defence mechanism for authentication in Aadhaar scheme. Justice Sikri pronounced the judgement for himself, Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice A M Khanwilkar.

Here’s what all Supreme Court said in its Aadhaar verdict:

# Aadhaar cannot be mandatory for mobile connections, opening of bank accounts, rules Supreme Court

# Aadhaar mandatory for filing Income Tax Returns. Section 139AA mandating linkage with PAN upheld.

# Aadhaar not needed for CBSE, UGC, NEET other exams. Aadhaar not needed for admission in school, colleges.

# There is no possibility of obtaining a duplicate Aadhaar card.

# Section 57 of Aadhaar Act permitting private entities to avail Aadhaar data struck down. Private companies can’t seek Aadhaar data.

# Unique identification proof also empowers and gives identity to marginalised sections of society.

# There has been minimal demographic and biometric data collected by UIDAI for Aadhaar enrolment.

# Attack on Aadhaar by petitioners is based on violation of rights, will lead to a surveillance State.

# Supreme Court Constitution Bench also struck down the National security exception under the Aadhaar Act. Aadhaar authentication data cannot be stored for more than six months.