The Unique Identity Authority of India (UIDAI), as you may know, has instituted a program to provide every person in India with a unique identification number with biometric indentification verification. This program is referred to as aadhaar.
The government has stated from the beginning that aadharr was to be voluntary. Naturally, this has not really worked out. When the various agencies that use aadhaar found that they could save money and simplify their operation, they made aadhaar mandatory in order to participate in the government schemes for the distribution of social benefits.
The Supreme Court of India, however has recently decided that voluntary means voluntary and that the various agencies cannot require aadhaar in order to receive benefits. But now, the UIDAI, the Government and oil firms are all coming against the Supreme Court to overturn is decision. So it looks like aadhaar was never really "voluntary" after all.
After govt, UIDAI moves SC on Aadhaar
The Unique Identification Authority of
India (UIDAI) has joined government and PSU oil firms against the
Supreme Court order making Aadhaar card not mandatory for availing
social benefits saying, its directive has “very serious
implications” in implementation of welfare schemes.
The UIDAI also contended that its order
dated September 23, putting the onus on it to check that Aadhaar card
should not be given to undocumented migrants, impinges on the
jurisdiction of the appropriate authorities that are entrusted with
the task of verifying citizenship.
In an application before the Supreme
Court, the UIDAI submitted that Aadhaar is stated to be a proof of
identity and there are other agencies to perform the task of
verifying citizenship and detecting illegal immigrants.
