Supreme Court to hear plea on Aadhaar made mandatory on May 17

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has decided May 17 as the date of hearing for petition against notifications making the Aadhaar card mandatory for availing benefits under government schemes, including mid-day meal and disability pension.

The petitioners have also challenged the Aadhaar Act itself.

An apex court constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar asked the petitioners Shanta Sinha and Kalyani Sen Menon to go to the vacation bench on May 17 after senior counsel Shyam Divan urged the court to hold an early hearing of the plea.

Addressing the bench, Divan, appearing for the two petitioners, referred to a May 9 order of a bench which had asked the petitioners to mention the matter before the Chief Justice as it was required to be heard by a constitution bench.

He said that though under the Aadhaar Act possessing it was voluntary but the government by a series of 17 notifications starting from February and as late as on Thursday issued orders making it mandatory.

Shanta Sinha was the first Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, a Padma Shri recipient and winner of the Magsaysay award while Kalyani Sen Menon is a feminist researcher.