SC sets up Constitution Bench to see if Aadhaar violates right to privacy
Requesting an early hearing, the Centre on Wednesday had said, "Millions of people are involved in the outcome of the case."
New Delhi: Chief Justice of India JS Khehar, on Wednesday, agreed on setting up a five-judge Constitution bench to probe the issues that are by-products of Aadhaar, especially the most discussed - right to privacy.
The hearing for the same has been dated for July 18 and 19.
Requesting an early hearing, the Centre on Wednesday had said, "Millions of people are involved in the outcome of the case."
Attorney General KK Venugopal, pleading for the Centre, and Shyam Divan representing the petitioners, pressed the apex court for an early set up of the Bench on Aadhaar.
On June 27, a vacation bench of Supreme Court refused to pass an interim order against Centre's notification making Aadhaar compulsory in order to avail social schemes and welfare benefits. The government had, however, said no one would be deprived of any benefit because of Aadhaar.
Earlier, the court stated that no interim order could be passed on grounds of petitioner's "apprehension" that somebody might be deprived of benefits, since no victim of such a situation has come forward.
SC was hearing three separate petitions challenging Centre's notification to make Aadhaar mandatory for social schemes.
It had in turn passed several orders directing the government to not make Aadhaar mandatory to an extent that it affects social welfare schemes. It, however, allowed the Centre to seek Aadhaar voluntarily for providing benefits of schemes such as LPG subsidy, Jan Dhan Yojana and Public Distribution System.