UIDAI terms Aadhaar verdict historic, welcomes safeguards

Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has termed the Aadhar judgement of the Supreme Court "historical "and "landmark" as it upheld the constitutional validity of Aadhaar and accepted that there is a legitimate state aim in Aadhaar.

"Aadhaar as an idea is fully upheld that it does not create a surveillance state and does not violate privacy. The verdict Aadhaar is a tool of empowerment of the marginalised sections of the society. The apex Court also upheld that the Aadhaar Act passed as a Money Bill is valid. It has further gone on to say that the Aadhaar Act meets the concept of Limited Government, Good Governance, and Constitutional Trust," the authority stated.

"Aadhaar has come out winning as the champion of the empowerment of people, especially the marginalised sections of the society and also as the key to the welfare schemes delivery of the Government that has eradicated the fakes, duplicates and middlemen. The verdict is a victory for UIDAI and the Government of India and has also set the pace of India's digital destiny," CEO, UIDAI, Dr Ajay Bhushan Pandey said.

"However, some reasonable conditions and restrictions on private usages have been imposed as safeguards that would further strengthen Aadhaar as the unique identity in the service of the people especially the poor," he added.

UIDAI said that the verdict has recognised that Aadhaar respect human dignity and does not violate privacy. SC has underlined that the dignity is not only in reference to an individual but is also the dignity within the community. The SC also found Aadhaar Act passes the "balancing tests" as Aadhaar collects only minimal data. The Court has concluded, "Aadhaar Act does not violates privacy and satisfy the balancing test."

It has been established by the judgement that Aadhaar is not for the state surveillance as profiling is not possible using the minimal data that Aadhaar has. There are sufficient safeguards to disallow any abuse, UIDAI stated.