Guwahati: The Meghalaya High Court on Monday ruled that the Aadhaar card cannot serve as the only proof of identity for individuals seeking government welfare benefits.
The court issued an interim directive instructing authorities to accept other valid identification documents from those unwilling or unable to provide an Aadhaar number.
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Chief Justice Indra Prasanna Mukerji and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh, who formed the division bench, noted that anyone lacking an Aadhaar card or choosing not to register for one must be allowed to establish their residency through other recognised documents, such as a PAN card, voter ID, or passport, subject to verification by state officials.
The judges made it clear that individuals without Aadhaar should not be disqualified from accessing welfare schemes on that basis alone.
The bench passed the order while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Greneth M. Sangma.
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The petitioner challenged a state notification issued on October 31, 2023, which mandated that students applying for fee compensation under post-matric scholarships for SC/ST communities, or financial aid for SC/ST students ineligible for other scholarships, must furnish an Aadhaar number.
Referring to two earlier Supreme Court rulings, Sangma argued that Section 7 of the Aadhaar Act, 2016, does not permit state authorities to make Aadhaar mandatory in such cases.
Backing this position, the High Court observed that Aadhaar non-possession cannot act as a barrier to government support.
It reiterated that while the state may use Aadhaar to speed up identification, it must also recognize other official documents for the same purpose.
“The court will need to examine the matter in depth at the next hearing by reviewing the Aadhaar Act, relevant rules and regulations, and judgments from the Supreme Court and other courts,” the bench noted.
The court scheduled the next hearing for August 12, 2025.