Aadhaar: Rahul hails SC verdict for supporting Cong vision

Welcoming the Supreme Court's verdict on constitutional validation of Aadhaar, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday asserted that while Aadhaar was an instrument of empowerment for his party, it was a "tool of oppression and surveillance" for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Following the top court's directive, Rahul tweeted, "For Congress, Aadhaar was an instrument of empowerment. For the BJP, Aadhaar is a tool of oppression and surveillance. Thank you Supreme Court for supporting the Congress' vision and protecting India."

The apex court earlier today said that linking Aadhaar with bank accounts and mobile phone numbers is not mandatory, but a must for Permanent Account Number (PAN).

While announcing its verdict on a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Aadhaar the Supreme Court said that Aadhaar is not needed for opening a bank account and no mobile company can demand it for connections.

The court also struck down Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act, barring private companies from seeking Aadhaar details of consumers.

However, the five-judge Constitution bench of the court also upheld most of the provisions in the Aadhaar Act and also ruled that it does not breach privacy.