[dropcap]T[/dropcap]HE Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the Central Government and Government of National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi to file a reply over a PIL seeking liking of Aadhaar card with property documents to curb corruption, black money and benami transactions.
A two-judge bench of Chief Justice Dhirubhai Naranbhai Patel and Justice Hari Shankar also directed the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) – the statuary body for Aadhaar enrolment and authentication, to be implemented as a respondent in the present petition.
The petition filed by Ashwini Upadhyay contended that linking property documents (of both immovable and movable property) with Aadhaar will help in curbing corruption.
On the request of the standing counsels of the Central Government and Government of NCT, the Court allowed four-week time to file the reply.
Punjab & Haryana High Court also directed two state government to take stand on proposed linkage of Aadhaar with property transactions.
On October 1, a two-judge bench of the Justices Rajiv Sharma and Harinder Singh Sindhu asked the state governments of Punjab and Haryana to take a decision on linking Aadhaar with all property transactions.
The direction was given by the court in PIL filed by advocate Nikhil Saraf seeking “identification, segregation, and confiscation of all Benami Properties in these respective States, amassed through ill-gotten wealth, by various Govt officials and private individuals”.
While disposing-off the petition the court noted that four representations were made by the petitioner before Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana as well as to the Administrator of Union Territory, Chandigarh and Union of India for redressal of his grievances.
The court then directed the Chief Secretary Punjab, Chief Secretary Haryana, advisor to the Chandigarh administration as well as Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs to decide upon the representations and pass order within a one month.
