4830 - Row over Aadhar in Mizoram - Telegraph India

Row over Aadhar in Mizoram OUR CORRESPONDENT Aizawl, Oct. 7: The Aadhar project inaugurated by the Congress-led government  of Mizoram has raised eyebrows among political observers. Its claim that the  biometric enrolment is “mandatory” is also being seen as contempt of court. Observers wondered if the project, being inaugurated with chief minister Laltha-nhawla flagging it off by being the first person to be registered under  Aadhar in the state, breaks the model code of conduct before the Assembly polls  announced on Friday. When asked about this, joint chief electoral officer Lalengmawia told The Telegraph that they would discuss the issue with the Election Commission before  giving a reply. As the Supreme Court recently ordered that Aadhar cards are not “mandatory” and  cannot be linked to a citizen getting access to essential services, the state  government here has issued a press release stating otherwise. The press release in the local lingua franca went so far as to warn that (translated)  “those who do not register themselves within the specified time and do not have  the Aadhar 12-digit UID number would not be marked in the National Population  Register and hence would not be regarded as citizens of India.” Speaking to this reporter over phone today, retired judge Justice K.S. Puttaswamy,  who filed a PIL against the government’s move, told that the court ruling is  binding on the Centre and all state governments. Any government that does not take this ruling into consideration is committing  contempt of court, he said. He said the Centre has moved the Supreme Court to modify its ruling to make it  mandatory for certain beneficiary-based welfare schemes. It is coming up for  hearing tomorrow.