Deadline for mandatory Aadhaar linking to be extended to March 31: Centre tells SC

The Centre on Thursday informed the Supreme Court that it would extend the deadline to link Aadhaar with various services till March 31 2018. A notification to this effect will be issued on Friday, the Centre also told the SC.

The submission was made while the SC was hearing a batch of petitioners who urged the court for an early hearing into the matter. The petitioners had alleged that Aadhaar linking violated their right to privacy and hence the practise be struct down.

The Chief Justice of India, Dipak Misra informed the petitioners that a five judge Bench had been set up to hear the matter and it is likely to sit next week to decide on whether an interim stay on the linking be issued or not.

Representing the Centre, Attorney General, K K Venugopal said that the linking cannot be stayed as it has been going on for years now. He however made it clear that the mandatory linking for Aadhaar with mobile would be February 6 next year as it had already been mandated by the court.

The petitioners represented by senior advocate Shyam Divan urged the court to direct the Centre not to take any coercive steps against those who fail to link their Aadhaar with various services.

OneIndia News