The Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Aadhaar was an evolving idea under the previous UPA regime and it did not have legislative backing. PTI File Photo
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said he was confident that Aadhaar would pass the “test of constitutionality”.
The statement comes amid Supreme Court hearing a petition challenging the government’s move to make Aadhaar mandatory.
“The Supreme Court had highlighted certain restraints as per the provisions of Article 21 of the Constitution. While these are in the larger national interest, detection of crime and dissipation of social benefit can also be achieved through the interplay of Aadhaar accounts,” said Jaitley, addressing a conclave on Financial Inclusion organised by the United Nations in India.
“Aadhaar has been an important leap forward for India and now we have begun to understand its potential,” Jaitley said.
He said when the concept was introduced under the UPA regime, it was still evolving. “Technologically, the concept was good. However, the full potential had not been realised. While there was a draft law related to management, the use of it was not clear,” the finance minister said.
In November, the Supreme Court would hear petitions challenging various aspects of Aadhaar. The challenges range from making Aadhaar mandatory for filing income tax returns, infringement of the right to privacy and for obtaining and retaining a permanent account number, or PAN.
Last month, in a historic ruling, the court had declared Right to Privacy as a fundamental right.