By Afroz Alam Sahil, TwoCircles.net
The Delhi HC (Chief Justice’s Bench) issued a notice to the central government on Wenesday asking why it has made submission of Aadhar Card mandatory for students from minority communities for availing various centrally-funded scholarships such as Pre Matric Scholarship, Post Matric Scholarship and Merit-cum-Means Based Scholarship awarded by the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
In 2015, a Supreme court ruling had clearly pointed out while Aadhar cards can be used for all types of pension schemes, it was purely voluntary and not mandatory.
The petition also challenges the decision of the Ministry to not entertain offline applications.
Advocate Neha Rathi argued the matter on behalf of a Malda, West Bengal-based NGO and said that the decision of the Ministry which is reflected on the Ministry’s website and the National Scholarship Portal is arbitrary, discriminatory, violates Article 14 and in complete contravention of the Constitutional Bench order of the Supreme Court in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd) and Another V. Union Of India & Ors.
The central government has been given two weeks’ time to file its reply.