Clarify Aadhaar is voluntary: Supreme Court tells govt

The Supreme Court today said it will consider the validity of the Aadhaar card only if the government makes it a voluntary decision. The apex court directed the government to clarify on the same and allay concerns that people without Aadhaar will not be treated differently.The statement was made by a five judge constitutional bench headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI). The bench is hearing the case on the application as well as implementation of Aadhaar.On its part the government, flanked by five regulators, argued that various schemes that have been provided for the citizens and Aadhaar would be crucial in terms of taking the benefits of these schemes.The petitioners, meanwhile, argued that there is no statute or circular that allows the government to collect data, citing privacy issues.The court, however, relenting to the government's position, said that they haven't made any final decision on the validity of Aadhaar. The SC, however, highlighted the fact that the government will have to issue an affidavit to clarify that Aadhaar is voluntary and will not be made mandatory.