The Aadhaar Act does not record the caste, religion, race, etc, of individuals, thus ensuring that these demographics are not used to discriminate among citizens, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said, paraphrasing the UIDAI counsel’s submissions during the Constitution Bench’s hearing on the validity of Aadhaar on Thursday.
“Race, caste, religion, etc are not part of demographics required. These are aspects which can be used to discriminate… by excluding them, the Act has given privacy,” Justice Chandrachud addressed UIDAI, the nodal agency for implementing the Aadhaar scheme.
Justice Chandrachud had, in August 2017, authored the historic verdict for the nine-judge Constitution Bench, which declared that privacy was intrinsic to life and liberty and an inherent part of the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.
Senior advocate and UIDAI counsel Rakesh Dwivedi argued that citizens have no right to privacy as far as demographic details are concerned. Demographic details are the name of the person, age, etc.
Mr. Dwivedi said the UIDAI does not share core-biometrics at all. However, Justice A.K. Sikri pointed out that the petitioners are still apprehensive about the aggregation of personal data in a central storage facility and their leak.
“We are concerned with real apprehensions. People who scared of water, they will never enter the pool… What can we do?” Mr. Dwivedi responded.
Source: The Hindu
