For govt., Aadhaar may be an enabler for people with no proof of identity: Justice Chandrachud

For govt., Aadhaar may be an enabler for people with no proof of identity: Justice Chandrachud

Context:
Justice D.Y. Chandrachud has observed that Aadhaar may be seen by the government as an enabler for every Indian who does not possess even a single proof of identity.
Background:

• CJI Misra has been heading a five-judge Constitution bench hearing a batch of petitions challenging the Aadhaar Act.
• At previous hearings, the Supreme Court’s Constitution Bench have remarked that there was a need to balance national interest and right to privacy as well as indicated that they may not rule against Aadhaar on the ground that the identification programme may be misused.

The debate:

• Justice Chandrachud has said that Aadhaar may be seen by the government as an enabler for every Indian who does not possess even a single proof of identity
• To this, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, for petitioners, argued that if one does not have a proof of identity, he/she cannot get Aadhaar in the first place.
• He further led arguments on how the government has made Aadhaar the only proof of identity, to the negation of all others like ration cards to passports to voter ID card, to avail of benefits, welfare, subsidies and services.