Disappointing verdict

The Supreme Court has conferred a certain sanctity on Aadhaar by describing it as an “unparalleled identity proof” and a “document of empowerment”. The apex court has done its best to perform a delicate balancing act between the different readings and implications of the Aadhaar Act.

Nobody is against technology being made a vital tool for “good governance”. But using biometric details to prove who you are is somewhat dehumanising. Letting technology ride roughshod over the Constitution and human dignity is disgraceful and unacceptable. Impoverishment validates social welfare schemes such as PDS, scholarships, midday meals and LPG subsidies. The possession of an identity proof should be only incidental to the delivery of benefits. It should not be impossible to prove one’s identity by means other than biometric information. It is unfair and unjust to make the survival of the country’s poor dependent on Aadhaar. Something more than Aadhaar is needed for vikas and acche din to come.

The unique identification programme certainly reduces the citizens to a mere number and a unique identity number at that. The argument that Aadhaar has become too big for the country’s top court to not uphold its constitutional validity reflects poorly on Indian judiciary.

G David Milton Kanyakumari