Govt extends deadline to link Aadhaar with bank accounts, schemes

The deadline to link Aadhaar to bank accounts and to avail welfare schemes will be extended till March 31, 2018, the government informed Supreme Court on Thursday.

Attorney General KK Venugopal told a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra that a notification extending the deadline will be made on Friday.

However, the government will not extend the February 6, 2018 deadline to link Aadhaar with mobile phones in view of an apex court order making it desirable for security reasons which it issued while hearing a PIL by NGO Lokniti Foundation.  

Venugopal also opposed a plea by senior advocate Shyam Divan, representing a group of PILs, who sought direction against coercive action. The Attorney General said the deadline would be extended for those who have not obtained Aadhaar. "Otherwise, nobody would do it," he added.

The bench, also comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, said the matter would be placed before a Constitutional Bench next week to consider passing an interim direction.

Venugopal also said the government is ready to argue on a plea to stay the enrolment process for Aadhaar.