Chhattisgarh High Court asked to decide on modifying order that makes Aadhaar mandatory for bail
The Supreme Court gave the bench 10 days to consider the Bar Council’s application, which specifies the trouble prisoners have been facing.
The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Chhattisgarh High Court to decide in 10 days on the state Bar Council’s application calling for a change in an order, which made copies of Aadhaar cards mandatory for inmates to get bail, PTI reported.
The Bilaspur district judge, who wrote to the High Court on January 10 on behalf of the Chhattisgarh Bar Council, informed it about the problems that prisoners – including ones in jail for petty thefts – face because of the January 5 order. The ruling made Aadhaar mandatory for getting bail to check fictitious persons coming up as sureties for the accused, Live Law reported.
Besides issuing the direction to the Chhattisgarh High Court, the Supreme Court also disposed of a petition that had sought to have the January 5 order modified. The petitioner, advocate Peeyush Bhatia, challenged the ruling, saying it violated the Supreme Court’s orders as well as the fundamental rights of citizens. He challenged the order on the grounds that the Supreme Court is hearing pleas challenging the validity of the Aadhaar scheme and that it adversely affects the rights of prisoners, according to Live Law.
