Love Jihad, Aadhaar, Article 35A; Supreme Court to hear three eminent cases today

Monday is going to be a hectic day at the Supreme Court as three high-profile cases would come up for hearing thus making it a day of important legal standings for the country.

The top court would be taking Aadhaar Card, Love Jihad in Kerala, and Article 35(A).

Justice AK Sikri led bench will hear the West Bengal government’s petition challenging the Centre’s move to make Aadhaar (Unique Identification Number) mandatory to avail social welfare benefits.

It is very much likely that the Centre will apprise the top court of its decision to extend the deadline for people to provide their Aadhaar details until March 31 to avail social welfare benefits. 

The SC will also hear a plea challenging a move to make people link their Aadhaar number to their mobile phone numbers.

Attorney General KK Venugopal had informed the court on October 25 that the extension will be limited to those who have not yet enrolled for Aadhaar Card.

Chief Justice Dipak Misra will head the bench that will take up applications seeking cancellation of Article 35(A) that guarantees special privileges to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

An NGO We the Citizens has filed the main petition in the case which says the state’s autonomous status granted by Article 35(A) and Article 370 of the Constitution discriminates against fellow citizens from the rest of the India.

Article 35(A) prohibits people from outside Jammu and Kashmir from buying or owning immovable property there, settle permanently, or avail themselves of state-sponsored scholarship schemes. 

Chief Justice Dipak Misra led bench will hear the ‘Love Jihad’ case where a Muslim man Shafin Jahan married Akhila Ashokan who later converted to Islam and became Hadiya Shefin. 

Jahan has requested the SC for overturning a Kerala High Court order that cancelled his marriage with Hadiya.

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