Congress welcomes SC decision on Aadhaar, says it is 'slap' on BJP's face

NEW DELHI: The Congress Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court decision to strike down Section 57 of the Aadhaar act, which allowed private entities to access Aadhaar data, and termed it a "slap on the face of BJP".

The Supreme Court has declared the Centre's flagship Aadhaar scheme constitutionally valid.

It has also struck down Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act, which allows not only the State but also any "body, corporate or person" or private entity to demand an Aadhaar.


"We welcome the Supreme Court's decision to strike down Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act. Private entities are no longer allowed to use Aadhaar for verification purposes," the Congress said on Twitter minutes after the verdict.


Several Congress leaders also spoke on the judgement.

The delinking of Aadhaar from private entities is a 'slap on the face of BJP", said Congress national spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi.


"Slap on the face of BJP. Justice Sikri judgement strikes down Section 57 of Aadhaar Act, 2016, which says private body corporates can seek Aadhaar data. Says it's unconstitutional. All plans to monetise biometric data now fail," he tweeted.

He also hailed the Supreme Court's move to disallow metadata to be stored in its current form.

"If the information of a person's personal information is sought to be released, he or she shall have an opportunity to be heard.

"SC rightly appreciated brilliant idea in origin; protected its core; promoted its development and eliminated its flotsam & jetsam. SC brilliantly threw out #bjp #modi accumulated dirty bathwater and saved the baby. Org intent of UPA ie to give identity 2 marginalised ppl now shines (sic)," he said.

His colleague Randeep Singh Surjewala said the Supreme Court verdict "upholds the individual's right to privacy".

"Modi Govt's draconian Section 57 quashed - Bank A/c, Mobile, School, Airlines, Travel Agents, Pvt entities requiring Aaadhar Data quashed.

"Time to take next step to destroy the citizen's data so collected now," he said on Twitter.

The majority verdict by Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A K Sikri and A M Khanwilkar declared the Centre's flagship Aadhaar scheme constitutionally valid but struck down some of its provisions, including its linking with bank accounts, mobile phones and school admissions.

The top court said Aadhaar serves a bigger public interest. Aadhaar means unique and it is better to be unique than be the best, it said.