Nov 2018 24

Deciphering the Aadhaar Verdict

SCM House, Bangalore

The Alternative Law Forum, Internet Democracy Project and the Right to Food-Karnataka are organising a public roundtable to understand and analyse the Aadhaar verdict and discuss next steps. Dr. Usha Ramanathan, Col. Mathew Thomas, Dr. Anupam Saraph, Siraj Dutta and many other experts and activists will attend the roundtable.

Present below is the agenda for the meeting and also some of the questions that we will seek to address. The discussion which will be in a roundtable format will see participation by Dr.Usha Ramanathan, Col. Mathew Thomas, Dr.Anupam Saraph, Siraj Dutta and many other experts and activists.

Agenda

10:00am — 10:30am Introduction to the Aadhaar ecosystem

10:30am — 11:00am Reporting on the verdict

11:00am — 11:15am Tea break

11:15am — 01:00pm Legal analysis

01:00pm — 02:00pm Lunch

02:00pm — 03:00pm Impact on the ground

03:00pm — 04:00pm Next steps

Deciphering Aadhaar verdict event poster


Some of the questions that we will seek to answer:

  • How does the Aadhaar (judgment) affect democracy? 
  • Why is Aadhaar exclusionary? 
  • What are the laws that make Aadhaar a proof of identity and authorisation of financial and other transactions?


Legal analysis:

  • Should fractured mandates with polarised views be heard by a larger bench?
  • Can something declared as a constitutional fraud survive only on a numbers game?
  • What prayers before the Supreme Court have remained unaddressed?
  • What are the legal options open to address the verdict?


Questions impacting delivery of subsidies and benefits:

  • Has exclusion been handled by the verdict?
  • Does the verdict speak to the realities of existing marginalisations including caste, gender and sexuality?
  • Have the databases driving our democracy been protected by the verdict?
  • Are subsidies, benefits and services flowing to right persons and beneficiaries post the verdict?
  • How are organisations undertaking KYC post verdict? Have they a roadmap to remove those onboard with Aadhaar and onboard those removed by Aadhaar?
  • How are organizations/​financial institutions/​state/​public institutions delivering subsidies, benefits and services post the verdict?