Mamata Banerjee challenges Aadhaar in Supreme Court, hearing on October 30

The Supreme court will hear a plea filed by the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government on October 30 against the Centre's move to make Aadhaar mandatory for availing the benefits of various social welfare schemes.

Senior advocate and member of parliament Kalyan Banerjee said the petition was filed earlier and would come up for hearing before the bench, comprising Justices AK Sikri and Ashok Bhushan, on October 30.

He said that the West Bengal government has challenged the provision which said that without Aadhaar, the benefits of social welfare schemes would not be extended.

At a party meeting in Kolkata on Wednesday, the Trinamool Congress chief had also opposed the linking of Aadhaar with mobile phone number, saying "Aadhaar number should not be linked with one's mobile phone. I will not link my Aadhaar number with my mobile even if my connection is snapped."

However, the Aadhaar-mobile issue is not part of the state government's plea, Kalyan Banerjee said.

The centre on October 25 told the top court that the deadline for mandatory Aadhaar linking to avail benefits of various government schemes has been extended till March 31 next year. The extension concerned those who do not have the 12-digit biometric identification number.

Attorney General KK Venugopal told a bench headed Chief Justice Dipak Misra that deadline extension would apply only to those who do not have Aadhaar and are willing to enrol for it. Earlier, the deadline for linking of Aadhaar was December end this year. 

Venugopal had also told the bench that he would take instructions on certain issues on Aadhaar after which the court had asked him to mention the matter again on October 30.

Several petitions are pending in the top court which challenge the centre's move to make Aadhaar linkage with mobile number and bank accounts mandatory for welfare schemes and notifications.