SC: Delay in extending Aadhaar deadline will cause uncertainty
NEWDELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed displeasure over banks, mobile phone companies and financial institutions continuing to ask people to link their Aadhaar cards before March 31 for uninterrupted service, saying the delay in extending the deadline to link Aadhaar with government services will cause uncertainty.
“Today if we don’t extend (deadline) there would be uncertainty… it has to be extended. There is a great state of uncertainty in the country,” a bench led by Chief Justice Dipak MIsra told attorney general KK Venugopal. It then indicated an extension order may be given on March 14.
On Tuesday Venugopal had said the Centre was not averse to extending the deadline but there was no such immediate requirement and advised the bench to see how the case progresses. “We are in the first week of March. Let them (petitioners) finish their arguments,” he had said.
Justice DY Chandrachud, however, felt a delay will leave citizens confused. “There is an issue. We are nearing the end of the financial year. There is uncertainty in banks, stock exchanges and financial markets because of the deadline. They need time to enforce it,” he said.
The judge made the observations after advocates complained that government authorities and institutions are still compelling people to link their Aadhaar cards for continuance of their services and urged the court to extend the deadline.
“Don’t worry. We will do it. Let the arguments finish,” the CJI said. The court is hearing a batch of petitions against Aadhaar on the ground it violates privacy.