Aadhar is not a proof of citizenship, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju informed the Lok Sabha on Friday.
Separately, in response to a supplementary question during the Question Hour, Mr. Rijiju informed the House that it was difficult to cap or regulate the “exorbitant” fees charged by some lawyers in the country.
“It’s difficult for the government to regulate or put a cap on the fees of the advocates. It is true that some of the lawyers’ fees are so exorbitant that common people can’t hire them,” he said in reply to a question during Question Hour.
However, Mr. Rijiju said efforts were on to encourage good lawyers to take up cases of needy people pro bono (free of cost) or at minimum fees. “I am also going to launch a big campaign to ensure everyone gets justice without difficulties or [by] paying high fees,” he added.
Responding to another question on judicial vacancies and the appointment process for them, the Law Minister said that the government follows a prescribed procedure ofdue diligence with regard to recommendations from the Supreme Court Collegium, but since July 2021, when he had taken charge, a lot of judges had been appointed to the top court and the High Courts. “Even the Chief Justice of India has said that the period has seen fastest appointment of judges since the last few decades,” Mr. Rijiju said.
The answer that Aadhar is not a proof of citizenship was part of a written response to a query by Congress members K. Muraleedharan, Benny Behanan, T. N. Prathapan and A. Chellakumar. They had asked the government for a detailed rationale for using Aadhar as a legitimate means to authenticate citizenship, and if it passed the test of proportionality as mentioned in the Puttaswamy judgment of theSupreme Court. s“Aadhar is not the proof of citizenship. Hence, question does not arise,” the Minister said in his written reply.
