ISAS Briefs

The Indian government’s ambitious scheme of giving a unique biometric identity number – Aadhaar – to all residents of the country was challenged by privacy advocates on the ground that the increasing requirement to furnish the Aadhaar number to access public and even private services violated their fundamental right to privacy. The Supreme Court ruled that Aadhaar was constitutional but, in a clear acknowledgement of privacy concerns, imposed strict limits on its use. How the government will respond to the court’s judgement is as yet uncertain.