Aadhaar linkage deadline put off until SC verdict

RELIEF March 31 no longer last date to link phone, bank a/c

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court extended on Tuesday the March 31 deadline to link Aadhaar with various government services, bank accounts, Permanent Account Numbers for filing tax returns and even mobile phone connections indefinitely until after it delivers a final verdict on petitions questioning the validity of the unique identification number.

Extension of the deadline offers relief to consumers bombarded by messages from service providers including banks and mobile phone companies asking them to link their accounts to Aadhaar before the deadline.

A five-judge bench led by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said the extension will not apply to government services and benefits like pensions and scholarships, subsidised foodgrains under the Public Distribution System, subsidised cooking gas and the flagship job guarantee plan for rural households.

Such benefits are covered by Section 7 of the Aadhaar Act, which deals with the delivery of financial benefits and subsidies and services under government welfare programmes. Those drawing such benefits will be required to provide the biometric ID details and number assigned to them by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

The court restrained the authorities from insisting on Aadhaar for issuance of tatkal passports, which are processed faster. The exemption was made after senior advocate Arvind Datar complained that the government had amended passport rules in breach of the court directive not to make Aadhaar mandatory.

He showed the court his colleague Vrinda Grover’s passport, which was cancelled because she refused to part with her Aadhaar details.