SC verdict no setback: Cong

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 26

Although the Congress on Wednesday lost the case that Aadhaar Bill is not a money Bill, its leaders said the Supreme Court majority judgment was no setback for the party as it never wanted the entire Bill struck down.

“This is no setback. We never wanted the entire Bill struck down as it protects the rights of the marginalised. For the first time, the SC Constitution Bench has ruled that the decision of the Lok Sabha Speaker is justifiable. This is big," Congress leader Kapil Sibal said today as party's top brass claimed SC judgment to be an endorsement of Congress' stand that Aadhaar should be voluntary and not mandatory.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi hailed the order, saying “For Congress, Aadhaar was an instrument of empowerment. For the BJP, Aadhaar is a tool of oppression and surveillance. Thank you, Supreme Court, for supporting the Congress vision and protecting it.” He, however, steered clear of reference to the SC upholding Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan’s decision to convert the Aadhaar Bill into money Bill.

Congress MP and ex-minister Jairam Ramesh had in April 2016 moved the SC challenging the Speaker's orders and arguing that the government was setting an unhealthy trend by converting routine Bills into money Bills to bypass the scrutiny of Rajya Sabha. RS has powers to discuss money Bills but not lock them.

Citing SC's minority judgment on "Aadhaar as money Bill" today, the Congress said it would hope the government would bring the Aadhaar Bill for amendments to the House.

"If they don't, we will seek a review of the top court order," Sibal said.

"We welcome the judgment to the extent that it upholds the rights of marginalized to get government benefits. SC has also ruled that in case of apprehensions over Aadhaar, a private individual can move court. This right was hitherto reserved for UIDAI," Sibal said adding that the Congress would fight for the rights of manual labourers who don't have biometrics due to the nature of their work.

Congress further questioned the government on what would happen to the mine of biometric data that has reached private hands. "The SC has said the data cannot be stored beyond six months. We hope the government will create mechanisms to destroy the data that is already in private hands," Sibal added.