SC redirects all Aadhaar petitions to constitution bench, pulls up WB Govt for challenging Centre

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • Flipboard
  • Email
  • WhatsApp
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee

New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Monday said a five-judge constitution bench will hear a batch of petitions challenging the validity of the Aadhaar law on charges of being intrusive and violating the right to privacy.

An apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud said the hearing will take place in the last week of November.

Earlier in the day, the apex court pulled up the West Bengal government for challenging the Centre's decision to link Aadhaar for giving subsidies, wondering how could a state government challenge a law passed by the central government.

"How can a state government challenge a law passed by the Centre? This way Centre would start challenging the laws passed by the states," observed a bench of Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan.

The court also gave time to the West Bengal government to amend its petition questioning the linking of Aadhaar for giving subsidy by the state's Labour Department. 

The court said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee could challenge the aspect of Aadhaar law requiring linking an "individual" and a "citizen". 

However, the court gave notice to the Centre on a plea challenging the mandatory linking of mobile phones with Aadhaar. The Centre was given four weeks to respond.

(With inputs from IANS)