Ready to extend Aadhaar deadline to March 31, Centre tells SC

New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday told the Supreme court that it was willing to extend deadline till March 31 next year for mandatory linking of Aadhaar to avail various services and benefits of government schemes.

However, Attorney General K K Venugopal said that the last date for linking Aadhaar for mobile services will remain February 6 next year in pursuance of a judicial order.

The apex court will set up a Constitution Bench next week to hear interim pleas seeking stay on Centre's move to link Aadhaar with various schemes and services.

Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for those who are opposed to Aadhaar scheme told the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, that the central government should give an undertaking that no coercive steps would be taken against those fail to link their Aadhaar with various services.

The Supreme Court had yesterday made it clear that banks and telecom service providers will have to indicate the last date of linking bank accounts and mobile numbers with Aadhaar in their communications with customers.

The top court did not pass any interim order on the pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the Aadhaar Act as well as linking of 12-digit unique biometric identification number with bank accounts and mobile numbers.

A bench comprising Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan was told by the advocates representing the petitioners that "panic" was being caused among the people as the messages sent by the banks and mobile service providers were warning them the services would be deactivated if Aadhaar is not linked.

Some petitioners in the top court have termed the linking of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) number with bank accounts and mobile numbers as "illegal and unconstitutional".

They had also objected to the CBSE's alleged move to make Aadhaar card mandatory for students appearing for examinations, a contention denied by the Centre.