Withdraw Instruction To Make Aadhaar Mandatory: SC To Centre

"Building a system that can search using latent fingerprints, quite like criminal database searches, is not within the constitutional and legal mandate and scope of UIDAI and fundamentally against the core reason residents have provided their data voluntarily to UIDAI," the petition said.

"The right to privacy is one of the basic human rights of an individual and UIDAI is committed to protect this aspect," it said.

UIDAI came into existence on January 28, 2009, for providing 12-digit Aadhaar number to those citizens who registered themselves. Its purpose is envisaged as a means to enhance delivery of welfare benefits and services.

The number is stored in a secure database and linked to the basic demographics and biometric information photograph, 10 fingerprints and iris of each individual.

The apex court is also seized with a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Aadhaar card with those opposing the mega project saying it was not backed by any statute and compromises with national security.

Among the petitioners are Justice K Puttaswamy, former high court judge and Major General SG Vombatkere, who retired as Additional Director General, Discipline & Vigilance in Army HQ, also sought to restrain the Centre, the Planning Commission and UIDAI from issuing Aadhaar cards by way of an executive order of January 28, 2009.

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