March 31 deadline for linking Aadhaar may be extended: Govt to SC

The Centre on Tuesday indicated before the Supreme Court that it may further extend the deadline from March 31 for linking of Aadhaar with bank accounts, mobile phones and other welfare schemes.

Attorney General K K Venugopal submitted before a five-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice Dipak Misra that the government has earlier too extended the deadline and if the need arose, it would again do it. He also pointed out that since some more time would be required to conclude the prolonged hearing in the Aadhaar case, the deadline may be extended from March 31.

"We have extended the deadline in the past and we will extend it again but we may do it by the end of the month to enable the petitioners in the case to conclude the arguments," Venugopal said.

The bench, also comprising Justices A K Sikri, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan, agreed with the contention of Venugopal.

On December 15 last year, the Centre had extended till March 31 the deadline for mandatory linking of Aadhaar with various services and welfare schemes.

Senior advocate Shyam Divan, the lead counsel on behalf of Aadhaar challengers, contended it was highly unlikely that the hearing in the case challenging the constitutional validity of the Aadhaar Act will be concluded.

"The deadline for mandatory linking of Aadhaar with various services and welfare schemes is March 31. This will have all India ramification as various institutions would have to adjust themselves accordingly," Divan said.

Justice Chandrachud said even if the court reserved its verdict on March 20, banks and other institutions would have only 10 days left, which might be difficult.