Khori: Aadhaar card for provisional allotment is SC's stop-gap measure

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Friday said the Aadhaar card would be one of the documents to be taken into account by the Faridabad municipal corporation for making provisional allotment under the rehabilitation scheme to eligible applicants of Khori village where the homes and shops of around 30,000 people had been demolished.

As an interim arrangement, the apex court directed the civic body to process the applications if it is accompanied by an Aadhaar card to make provisional allotment subject to verification of the applicant.

A bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari made clear that provisional allotment of EWS (Economically Weaker Section) flats would not create any right in favour of the person until he establishes his eligibility as mandated under the rehabilitation scheme.

For the time being, as an interim arrangement, we direct the corporation to process the applications, if accompanied by an Aadhaar card, for the purpose of making provisional allotment, subject to verification of the applicant and about the unauthorised structure demolished during the demolition action, the bench said.

The bench said the remarks after hearing the advocates, appearing for the civic body and some petitioners who have raised the issue of rehabilitation, on the question of the nature of proof to be submitted along with the application under the rehabilitation scheme.

The top court said the Aadhaar card would be in addition to other documents which are prescribed under the scheme. Aadhaar can also be one of the documents to be taken into account for provisional allotment, the bench said.

Regarding the grievance made by some of the petitioners about the functioning of the official e-portal of the corporation, the bench noted that some corrective measures have already been taken and the civic body may take necessary steps to ensure that the deficiencies pointed out in the earlier occasion could be dealt with appropriately. The bench has posted the matter for further hearing on October 22.

The civic body has reported that a total of 2,583 applications have been received till September 29 and 360 applicants have taken temporary possession of flats till September 30.