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No Aadhaar for phones, bank accounts relief for common people: Mamata Banerjee

The apex court on 26 September declared the Centre’s flagship Aadhaar scheme as constitutionally valid but struck down some of its provisions including linking with bank accounts, mobile phones, and school admissions.

No Aadhaar for phones, bank accounts relief for common people: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. (Photo: IANS/File)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that Wednesday’s verdict on Aadhaar by the Supreme Court vindicates her stand.

Banerjee, who is in Italy for an official tour, said, “We welcome the verdict by the Supreme Court. It is a victory of the people of India and we are very happy.”

The Trinamool Congress chief added that if bank and mobile phones are linked to Aadhaar card then everything about the person will come into public domain.

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“That this logic is correct and irrefutable has been proved today,” said Banerjee, alleging that cases of cheating in ATM transactions due to account number becoming public have already happened.

“From day one we have fought for this. Not linking #Aadhaar to mobile phones, bank accounts and others is a great relief for the common people. My best wishes to all,” the Bengal CM posted on Twitter.

 

Banerjee said that she has neither linked her bank account nor her mobile number to Aadhaar.

In a majority judgment, a five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra held that Aadhaar would be voluntary and not mandatory with an option to exit.

Banerjee has been one of the most vocal political leaders in opposition to the Aadhaar.

In June 2017, she had said that making Aadhaar mandatory “would make the poor, the marginalised the worst sufferers”. In October that year she had said that she will not link her mobile number to Aadhaar challenging authorities to disconnect her connection.

On Wednesday, TMC MP in the Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien said that the SC upheld TMC MLA Mahua Moitra’s case against mandatory Aadhaar linking with bank accounts.

“Trinamool MLA @MahuaMoitra’s case upheld as PMLA rule for bank account and Aadhar mandatory link is struck down as unconstitutional and not satifying test of proportionality,” he wrote on Twitter.

 

Moitra had in October 2017 filed a writ petition in the apex court against the directive issued by banks to all account-holders telling them that their accounts will be frozen if they did not submit Aadhaar by 31 December 2017.

The apex court on 26 September declared the Centre’s flagship Aadhaar scheme as constitutionally valid but struck down some of its provisions including linking with bank accounts, mobile phones, and school admissions.

The apex court’s five-judge Constitution bench said Aadhaar was meant to be “unique” and it was better to be unique than being best.

The Supreme Court, however, struck down Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act thus disabling private companies from asking for Aadhaar card for services.

Read More: Supreme Court upholds constitutional validity of Aadhaar, but strikes down Section 57

“Linking of Aadhaar to mobile phones not constitutional. No mobile company can demand Aadhaar card,” said the bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra and comprising Justices AK Sikri, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and A Bhushan.

“Aadhaar is not needed for banking, but a must for PAN,” the bench said.

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