Deadline for linking Aadhaar with bank accounts and mobile phones extended

India’s Supreme Court has indefinitely extended the deadline for linking Aadhaar numbers with bank accounts and mobile phones, which had been set for March 31, the Times of India reports.

The constitutional panel of five judges ruled that services other than subsidies cannot be withheld while it is hearing a range of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Aadhaar program. The justices had previously said that it may not be possible to reach a verdict on the constitutional challenge prior to the March 31 deadline, and that extending the deadline at the last moment would cause problems for institutions attempting to remain in compliance.

The deadline was extended to March 31 late last year by the Supreme Court, according to the Times.

India’s Electoral Commission recently requested that the Supreme Court also consider making it mandatory for Aadhaar numbers to be linked to voter IDs.

Article Topics

Aadhaar  |  banking  |  biometrics  |  mobile device