Telangana High Court extends order on data collection for Dharani

The Telangana High Court, on Monday, extended the earlier interim order of the court till Tuesday in batch petitions filed challenging the State’s decision seeking Aadhaar and caste details of the owners of agricultural and non-agricultural properties on Dharani platform in the name of integrated land management system. 

When the matter came up for hearing before the division bench, advocate K Vivek Reddy, appearing for petitioner advocate Saaketh Kasibhatla, argued that the State government cannot seek sensitive information such as Aadhaar, caste and so on from the land owners without having a statutory backing. Seeking such information is not as per provisions of the Aadhaar Act, he added.

Replying to a query from the bench, Advocate General BS Prasad told the court that the State had sought Aadhaar details for agricultural properties since the State was extending financial benefit of `10,000 per acre under the Rythu Bandhu scheme. Insistence of Aadhaar is permissible as per Supreme Court judgment in KS Puttaswamy case since the State is implementing welfare scheme, he added. 

During the course of hearing, the bench observed that various insurance, cellular companies, and banks have been seeking Aadhaar details for extending services. While adjourning the case hearing, the bench extended the interim order till Tuesday.