As the government has been slowly making Aadhaar card or the unique identification (UID) number scheme mandatory in availing various government schemes (officially it is not the policy), the supreme court (SC) has put a brake on the same.

On Monday, the SC ruled that Aadhaar card should remain a purely voluntary scheme and should not be made mandatory.

“The centre and state governments must not insist on Aadhaar from citizens before providing them essential services,” said the apex court in its ruling.

The top court heard the matter after public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by retired Karnataka High Court judge Justice KS Puttaswamy and advocate Parvesh Khanna. The petitioners said that there have been many loopholes in the government’s ambitious scheme.

A Bench of Justices BS Chauhan and SA Bobde which heard the PIL said that that the government cannot make Aadhaar cards mandatory for providing services like gas connections. It also ordered centre not to give Aadhaar number to illegal immigrants in the country.