Linking Aadhaar with all financial transactions stigmatises people: SC

The Supreme Court has sought to know why the Centre should insist on Aadhaar for all financial transactions. This gives the feeling to citizens that all are under the scanner of the government for frauds, tax evasion and terrorism, a Five Judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India, Dipak Mishra said.

The Bench also said that such a move stigmatises the population. The Centre however said that the reason to link Aadhaar with all financial transactions was not with an intention of scaring the people.

"We do not see people as criminals. Instead we want to protect them against crime, additional solicitor general", Tushar Mehta told the Bench.

The Supreme Court had also said that even if it upheld the unique identity number scheme, the biometrics collected at the time of enrollment would have to be non-invasive.

Referring to Section 2(g) of the Aadhaar Act, the court told the Centre that biometrics could never be invasive. "You cannot take blood and urine samples of individuals in the name of collecting biometrics for enrolling a person with Aadhaar", the Bench also said.