What is Aadhaar mandatory for and what is it not mandatory for after SC verdict?
The Supreme Court has upheld the constitutional validity of Aadhaar albeit with some riders. The five-judge constitution bench, led by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, struck down Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act which allowed not only the government but also any "body corporate or person" or private entity to demand Aadhaar. Aadhaar will no longer be required for availing services such as:  Bank Account: The Supreme Court today ruled that Aadhaar is not needed for opening a bank account. Banks have been chasing customers and asking them to update Aadhaar numbers with their bank accounts. However, following today's verdict, banks will not ask you to link your Aadhaar to your account. SIM card: With SC striking down Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act, private companies can no longer ask for your Aadhaar. Telecom operators were earlier asked by Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to conduct Aadhaar-based verification of mobile phone connections. Appearing for competitive examinations and school admissions: In a big relief to students, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that it is not mandatory to provide Aadhaar to register or appear for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), University Grants Commission (UGC) and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams. Here's what needs to be linked with Aadhaar:  PAN card: Linking of Aadhaar with PAN card continues to be mandatory under section 139AA of the Income Tax Act. Tax evaders used to create multiple PAN cards in order to avoid taxes. The government had on various occasions extended the deadline of linking PAN with Aadhaar  Filing income tax returns (ITR): As Aadhaar-PAN linking continues to be necessary, you'll need the same for filing income tax returns. Welfare schemes: Aadhaar continues to be mandatory for availing benefits under various government-run social welfare schemes and subsidies. Justice Bhushan said the Central government had given sufficient reasons to uphold Section 7 of Aadhaar Act, which deals with grant of subsidies and welfare benefits.