SC declares Aadhaar constitutionally valid: Here's the full text

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the constitutional validity of Aadhaar, but with some modifications.

In the landmark judgement, SC has limited Aadhaar's gamut disbursement of social benefits while it has struck down several services from mandatory linkage with the biometric identification card.

A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra held that Aadhaar would be voluntary and not mandatory with an option to exit.

Legal website Live Law has tweeted the full text of over 1400-page Aadhaar Judgement.

Breaking: #AadhaarJudgment Out
Read the 1448 Page #Aadhaar Judgment Herehttps://t.co/EJqmbWfkay

— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) September 26, 2018

The apex court's five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said Aadhaar will be mandatory for host of government schemes while it has struck down compulsory linking of the biometric identification card with several other services.

SC has struck down Section 57 of Aadhaar Act permitting private entities to avail Aadhaar data and ruled that Aadhaar authentication data cannot be stored for more than six months. The bench also struck down the national security exception under the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act.

The verdict was pronounced on a batch of pleas challenging the constitutional validity of Aadhaar scheme and its enabling 2016 law. The bench had on May 10 reserved the verdict on the matter after a marathon hearing that went on for 38 days, spanning four-and-half months.

There are three sets of judgements being pronounced. The first of the three verdicts was pronounced by Justice A K Sikri who wrote the judgement for himself, CJI and Justice A M Khanwilkar. Justice Chandrachud and Justice A Bhushan, who are part of the bench, have written their individual opinions.