New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that it has decided to extend the deadline to furnish Aadhaar for availing the benefits of various social welfare schemes from September 30 to December 31. 

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra posted pleas challenging the validity of Aadhaar to the first week of November after Attorney General KK Venugopal made a statement to this effect. 

Venugopal’s statement came after some petitioners challenging the government’s move to make Aadhaar mandatory for availing the benefits of these schemes mentioned the matter before the CJI and requested him to set up an appropriate Bench to hear all pleas on the issue in the light of the law laid down by a Nine-judge Constitution Bench in the right to privacy case.   

On behalf of one of the petitioners, senior advocate Shyam Divan said the right to privacy had been declared a fundamental right and now Aadhaar-related petitions should be taken up for hearing by an appropriate Bench.   Referring to the verdict delivered by Justice RF Nariman in the right to privacy case, Divan pointed out the judge himself had said cases relating to Aadhaar should be decided by a three-judge Bench.   

But the Attorney General demanded that all cases be referred to a five-judge Bench.  As Divan the September 30 deadline to give Aadhaar for availing these benefits was nearing, Venugopal said the government would extend it to December 31.   

“There is no urgency. The Attorney General is saying it will be extended,” the Bench said directing listing of Aadhaar-related petitions for hearing in the first week of November.