Continued from page 1

The petitioner has also raised questions about the voter registration verification process. According to the petition, the document verification under Form-6 is not sufficient and can lead to the inclusion of names of people in the voter list who do not possess the necessary valid documents. The petition demands comprehensive reforms in the verification framework used in the electoral process. Along with this, it suggests the formation of a high-level monitoring committee, which should include retired Supreme Court judges, cybersecurity experts, and forensic experts. The Supreme Court delivered a historic verdict on September 26, 2018. The court, by a 4:1 majority, deemed the Aadhaar Act constitutional, but struck down some provisions. The court stated that linking Aadhaar to bank accounts and mobile SIMs is not mandatory. Aadhaar is not mandatory for school admissions. However, the use of Aadhaar in government subsidies and welfare schemes is valid. The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, is the law under which the legal framework for the issuance of Aadhaar numbers, their use, data security, and the functioning of UIDAI was determined.

This law came into effect on March 26, 2016. The Act clarifies that Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship. Aadhaar only indicates that the person is a resident of India.