Supreme Court Hears PIL Seeking Cap on Aadhaar Issuance to Curb Infiltration

Challenging Adult Aadhaar Enrollment

The Supreme Court has received a critical PIL seeking to halt the open-ended issuance of Aadhaar cards to adults. The petitioner argued that the current framework of the Aadhaar Act, which allows 'every resident' to obtain the identity document without strict temporal or age-based restrictions, is being heavily exploited by illegal immigrants from neighboring nations.

The petition asserts that infiltrators often secure Aadhaar through fraudulent means, subsequently using it to drain public resources, disrupt demographic balances, and illegitimately participate in democratic processes. The primary relief sought is the imposition of a cap, restricting automatic Aadhaar issuance to children up to six years of age as a foundational identity tool.

For adults seeking Aadhaar enrollment, the PIL demands the implementation of stringent institutional safeguards, including mandatory verification by administrative authorities like Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDM) or Tehsildars. The petitioner invoked Article 142 of the Constitution, arguing that while the Aadhaar system has achieved near-universal coverage for citizens, its continued operation without these safeguards poses a grave threat to national security and sovereignty.