Aadhaar card will not be mandatory for availing benefits of government’s welfare schemes, Supreme Court (SC) said, directing the government authorities that no personal information of the card holders shall be shared by them.
The UID number should be used only to disburse LPG, food grains and other subsidies, SC said.
The apex court ruled that the Centre would ensure that Aadhaar is issued on “consensual basis after informing public at large about the fact that the preparation of Aadhaar involving the parting of biometric information of the individual shall however not be used for any purpose other than social benefit schemes.
“The Union of India shall give wide publicity in the electronic and print media including radio and television networks that it is not mandatory for a citizen to obtain an Aadhaar card.”
