Over 95 pc citizens voluntarily enrolled for Aadhaar: Govt to Supreme Court

The Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that around 95.10 per cent of the entire population has voluntarily registered for Aadhaar and apprehension of "large- scale exclusion" of citizens from government benefits due to lack of unique number was "misplaced" and "unfounded".

The government, while opposing any stay on implementation of the Aadhaar scheme, said that around 115.15 crore people have already enrolled for Aadhaar card, which is a citizen's right to identity, and there was no need for considering any interim stay on the scheme.

"Moreover, the Aadhaar Act, 2016 is a legislation of socio-economic reform and this court has held that courts must show judicial restraint in dealing with such legislations," the government said in its counter affidavit filed in response to several petitions opposing the scheme. It quoted a World Bank 2016 report, which says if Aadhaar was applied to all social programmes and welfare distribution, it would save the government USD 11 billion annually.