Privacy vs security: What is the brouhaha over Aadhaar all about?

What are the provisions that have been retained, struck down or read down by the SC verdict on Aadhaar, explains MJ Antony

What is the origin of the concept of unique identity?

National security and distribution of subsidised benefits for the weaker sections of society were the original considerations. A group of ministers recommended a multipurpose national identity card following the report of the Kargil Review Committee and the first such cards were distributed in 2007. Meanwhile, the UPA I unveiled a unique identity plan in 2006 to plug loopholes in the distribution of subsidised benefits like food and gas to benefit people below the poverty line. In 2008, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) was set up. The first Aadhaar