Aadhaar Case
The Supreme Court's decision on the world's largest biometric ID system.
🎯 Learning Objectives
- ▸ Understand the Aadhaar architecture
- ▸ Analyze the Court's reasoning in upholding Aadhaar
- ▸ Understand why Section 57 was struck down
The Balance
The Court had to balance the privacy rights of citizens with the government's interest in providing subsidies and preventing fraud. The Court held that Aadhaar does not violate privacy because it collects minimal biometric data and the benefits outweigh the risks.
Striking Down Section 57
Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act allowed private companies to use Aadhaar for authentication. The Court struck this down, holding that it was unconstitutional because it could lead to mass surveillance by private entities.
💡 Example
Before the judgment, you had to link Aadhaar to get a SIM card. After the judgment, this requirement was struck down, restoring privacy for mobile users.
📖 Glossary
- Aadhaar
- India's 12-digit unique identity number based on biometric and demographic data.
- Authentication
- The process of verifying a person's identity using their Aadhaar number and biometrics.
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Aadhaar was upheld as a reasonable restriction on privacy.
- Linking Aadhaar to bank accounts and mobile phones was upheld.
- Section 57 (allowing private companies to use Aadhaar) was struck down.
📚 Further Reading
- K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (Aadhaar) — Supreme Court of India (2018)
Shilpi Kulshrestha
Shilpi is a corporate lawyer with over a decade of experience in data protection, company law, and regulatory compliance. She has advised 50+ startups and enterprises on DPDPA readiness, privacy gover...