SC to pass interim order on mandatory Aadhaar linkage today

The Supreme Court on Friday will pass an interim order on a series of pleas seeking a stay on the Union Government's decision of mandatory linking of Aadhaar on Friday.

A five-judge Constitutional bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said the final hearing on the petitions would commence from January 17 next year.

Today's hearing on the mandatory linking of Aadhaar with bank accounts, mobile numbers and various other schemes will start at 10:30 am.

The Centre had earlier this month extended the deadline for mandatory linking of the Unique Identification number to avail various services and welfare schemes up to March 31 next year.

Earlier on October 30, the apex court referred all the Aadhaar related cases to the five-judge Constitutional bench to be formed by the end of November.

Earlier the court had tagged 22 cases to be heard by a smaller bench.

The cases challenge several aspects of Aadhaar, including the use of data collected under the unique identification programme.