Supreme Court of India takes up petition on denial of Aadhaar to 27 lakh people in Assam

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• May 24, 2024 | Pinaki Goswami

The Supreme Court's intervention seeks to rectify this situation and ensure adherence to legal protocols...

Digital Desk: The Supreme Court of India has taken up a significant issue in Assam concerning the denial of Aadhaar cards to approximately 27 lakh individuals excluded from the National Register of Citizens (NRC). These individuals have faced obstacles in obtaining Aadhaar cards since the NRC process concluded in 2019.

On May 17, a bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, acknowledged a Writ Petition under Article 32 of the Constitution. This petition, related to an earlier case filed by TMC MP Sushmita Dev (Writ Petition (Civil) No. 1361 of 2021), calls for the issuance of Aadhaar cards to those listed in the NRC.

Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy, representing the petitioner, argued against the unjustified and arbitrary denial of Aadhaar numbers. The petition, submitted by Advocate on Record Anando Mukherjee, claims nearly 27 lakh people are being denied Aadhaar due to the non-sharing of NRC data with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), despite the NRC's completion in 2019.

The petition highlights severe consequences for individuals without Aadhaar numbers, including restricted access to essential services and welfare schemes like education, employment, and subsidies. It contends that withholding Aadhaar based on NRC status lacks legal sanction and demands equitable access to Aadhaar for all.

Emphasizing the urgency, the petition urges the Supreme Court to address the discriminatory withholding of Aadhaar issuance and ensure that all individuals, regardless of NRC status, can access essential services and entitlements.

Similarly, the petition alleges that the Assam Government, NRC Coordinator, and Registrar General of India are undermining the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) approved by the court by not sharing NRC data with UIDAI. The Supreme Court's intervention seeks to rectify this situation and ensure adherence to legal protocols.