Aadhaar Act was a dire necessity: Justice Bhushan

Justice Ashok Bhushan, a Supreme Court judge, on Wednesday said that the Aadhaar Act — brought to provide for a unique identity for granting of subsidies, benefits or services — was a dire necessity, in view of reports of "huge leakage" and ghost beneficiaries.

He said demographic information required to be given in the process of enrollment for Aadhaar does not violate any right of privacy.

In his concurring but separate judgement, Justice Bhushan, a part of the five-judge bench, also noted that a statute created an injunction for requesting the entity to use identity information data for any purpose other than that specified to the individual at the time for submitting any identification.

“The Aadhaar Act and Regulations provide protection and safety of the data received from individuals. Collection of data, its storage and use does not violate the fundamental right of privacy. The Aadhaar Act does not create an architecture for pervasive surveillance,” he concluded.