Supreme Court Allows UIDAI CEO To Make PowerPoint Presentation On Aadhaar In Court

The Apec Court also asked petitioners opposed to Aadhaar scheme to prepare questionnaire after the presentation.

The Centre yesterday had asked for the SC's assent to allow the presentation which will help allay concerns regarding the security of biometric details requyired for Aadhaar.

A bench of five-judges, headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, is hearing a number of pleas challenging the constitutional validity of Aadhaar and its enabling Act. The bench yesterday said there are several technical aspects related to the Aadhaar scheme such as the surveillance, data security and exclusion of certain people from receiving benefits for the want of either authentication or the lack of Aadhaar number.

Attorney General K K Venugopal, who argued for the Centre, said the UIDAI chief executive may deal with technical aspects with more clarity.

He said the Fundamental Rights enshrined in the Indian Constitution have two aspects. One deals with rights like Right to Food and Right to Education and the other pertains to Freedom of Conscience and Right to Privacy, Venugopal said.

The question is which aspect will prevail, he said, adding that the fundamental rights like the Right to Life should prevail over Right to Conscience and Privacy.

PTI