Supreme Court on Wednesday refused, for now, to allow bodies like RBI and SEBI and some states to allow the voluntary use of Aadhaar card for welfare schemes other than PDS and LPG schemes.
A bench headed by Justice J Chelameswar made it clear that all applications seeking modification of its August 11 interim order will be heard by a larger constitution bench.
At the outset, the bench had raised the question whether it can entertain interim applications after transferring main petitions to a constitution bench to decide on issues like right to privacy.
On August 11, the apex court had said that Aadhaar card will remain optional for availing welfare schemes of the government, and the authorities will not use it for the purposes other than PDS and LPG distribution system.
The Centre, RBI, SEBI, IRDA, TRAI, Pension Fund Regulatory Authority and states like Gujarat and Jharkhand had
recently moved the court and pitched strongly for voluntary use of Aadhaar cards for providing benefits of various schemes, other than PDS and LPG, at the doorsteps of the aged and the weaker sections.