Supreme Court: Aadhaar Must Be Recognized as Legitimate Evidence for SIR Exercise

It was initiated in 2009 and subsequently provided legal support via the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, which was approved as a Money Bill in Parliament.

It enabled the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) within the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to allocate 12-digit Aadhaar numbers and oversee its application for verification and service provision.

It collects biometric (fingerprints and iris scans) and demographic information to establish a distinct identity for every resident.

As of 2025, over 1.3 billion people have received Aadhaar, establishing it as the largest biometric identification system globally.

Aadhaar and the Supreme Court

Right to Privacy Verdict (2017): A nine-judge panel of the Supreme Court unanimously determined that privacy is a fundamental right protected by Article 21 of the Constitution.

It established the basis for assessing Aadhaar’s constitutionality, particularly concerning data protection and surveillance issues, and reversed previous decisions that dismissed privacy as a fundamental right.

Aadhaar Verdict (2018): A five-judge panel confirmed the constitutional legitimacy of Aadhaar, though with important conditions.

The Supreme Court of India confirmed:

Aadhaar is acceptable for social programs and financial aid.

The Aadhaar Act, which was enacted as a Money Bill, was considered constitutionally valid.

Aadhaar fosters effective governance and empowers underprivileged communities.

It curtailed or restricted the use of Aadhaar as a compulsory requirement for bank accounts, mobile SIM cards, and school enrollments.

The national security clause in the Aadhaar Act was invalidated.

Aadhaar does not serve as evidence of citizenship or birth date.