Aadhaar mandatory for filing Income Tax Returns, rules Supreme Court. (File Photo)
Questions over Aadhaar's validity were laid to rest on Wednesday as the Supreme Court declared the 12-digit Unique Identification Number as as Constitutionally valid.
The apex court's five-judge Constitution bench said Aadhaar means unique and it is better to be unique than being best.
Reading out the first of the three judgments, Justice A K Sikri said that there is sufficient defence mechanism for authentication in Aadhaar scheme. Justice Sikri pronounced the judgment for himself, Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice A M Khanwilkar.
Here's what all Supreme Court said in its Aadhaar verdict:
# Aadhaar cannot be mandatory for mobile connections, opening of bank accounts, rules Supreme Court
# Aadhaar mandatory for filing Income Tax Returns. Section 139AA mandating linkage with PAN upheld.
# Aadhaar not needed for CBSE, UGC, NEET other exams. Aadhaar not needed for admission in school, colleges.
# There is no possibility of obtaining a duplicate Aadhaar card.
# Section 57 of Aadhaar Act permitting private entities to avail Aadhaar data struck down. Private companies can't seek Aadhaar data.
# Unique identification proof also empowers and gives identity to marginalised sections of society.
It is better to be unique than to be best, the Supreme Court said in its Aadhaar verdict. (Graphics/IndiaTV)
# There has been minimal demographic and biometric data collected by UIDAI for Aadhaar enrolment.
# Attack on Aadhaar by petitioners is based on violation of rights, will lead to a surveillance State.
# Supreme Court Constitution Bench also struck down the National security exception under the Aadhaar Act. Aadhaar authentication data cannot be stored for more than six months.
What Justice DY Chandrachud said:
# Data vulnerable to misuse by third party, private vendors, that too without consent of an individual.
# Denying social welfare is violation of fundamental rights of citizens.
# Aadhaar programme violates informational privacy, self-determination and data protection.
# Bypassing Rajya Sabha to pass Aadhaar Act amounts to subterfuge.
# Aadhaar Act liable to be struck down as being violative of Art 110. Rajya Sabha should not have been bypassed.
# Passing Aadhaar Act as a Money Bill amounts to a fraud on the Constitution. Article 110 of Constitution has specific grounds for Money Bill. Aadhaar law went beyond this.
# Aadhaar project has failed to remedy the flaws in its design and has led to exclusion.
WATCH: Supreme Court's big Aadhaar verdict
