Aadhaar will clear SC bar, says Nilekani

Nandan Nilekani, former chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), is confident that the Supreme Court Bench, looking into privacy concerns surrounding Aadhaar, will give the programme green light, since it follows all the design principles laid down by the Bench.

His comments came a day after a nine-judge Bench ruled unanimously in favour of the right to privacy as a fundamental right. Several experts have said this could affect the government’s mandate to make Aadhaar compulsory for paying taxes, receiving government aid and even buying a new mobile connection.

“It’s a superb decision. While it has upheld privacy as a fundamental right, it also acknowledges that in the interest of larger societal reasons, you may have some constraints on them… I am very confident that Aadhaar will come out with flying colours,” said Nilekani, in a call with analysts on Friday.

The Supreme Court’s landmark judgement also acknowledged right to privacy is not an absolute right. Experts say the judgement lays the foundation for much stronger data protection laws, but citizens might have to forgo some of their rights in the name of things such as security or for greater public good.

Nilekani said that the Supreme Court ruling has already decided on a set of considerations that will help the case that is being fought against Aadhaar in the court. His confidence stemmed from the fact that Aadhaar followed “all the design principles laid by the Supreme Court,” he added.

“IT’S A SUPERB DECISION.... IT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IN THE INTEREST OF LARGER SOCIETAL REASONS, YOU MAY HAVE SOME CONSTRAINTS ON THEM“NANDAN NILEKANI, Ex-UIDAI chief