Chennai: The Madras High Court dismissed the case seeking an order not to force Aadhaar number to be linked with the electricity connection number to get electricity subsidy.
Electricity tariff has been increased in Tamil Nadu since last September. The government subsidizes the electricity bill for the first 100 units. A government order was issued on October 6 last to require electricity consumers to link their Aadhaar number with their electricity connection number to get this subsidy. Accordingly, electricity consumers are linking their Aadhaar number with electricity connection number.
In this case, M.L. Ravi, a lawyer who is the leader of the National People’s Shakti Party, had filed a case in the Madras High Court demanding the cancellation of this decree. It said, “Aadhaar number linking is only possible for one house. If the tenants link their Aadhaar number, after they vacate, the new tenants will have trouble linking their Aadhaar number.
Also, it has various glitches. The Tamil Nadu government, which conducts special camps to link Aadhaar number with electricity connection, has not issued any notification about linking other documents instead of Aadhaar number. It has been announced that electricity subsidy will not be provided if Aadhaar number is not linked.
There is no legal way to declare this. It has been informed that if Aadhaar is to be made mandatory to get subsidy, then funds should be provided from the State Consolidated Fund. There should be no discrimination in providing social welfare benefits through Aadhaar linking. Similarly, the Power Generation and Distribution Corporation should be ordered not to force Aadhaar number to be linked with electricity connection number to get electricity subsidy. The High Court had adjourned the case for judgment.
In the judgment issued today by the bench comprising Chief Justice Raja and Justice Bharatha Chakraborty, who is responsible for the case, dismissed the petition saying that there is no basic evidence in the case.