Supreme Court to hear Jairam Ramesh's plea challenging Centre on Aadhaar bill

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear the plea of Congress leader Jairam Ramesh who has challenged the propriety of the government introducing the Aadhaar law as a money bill, and asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to address the court on the issue.

The apex court bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur, Justice R Banumathi and Justice Uday Umesh Lalit asked the Attorney General to address the court on the issue as senior counsel P Chidambaram told the court that presenting the proposed Aadhaar Act as a money bill was unconstitutional.

Appearing for Jairam Ramesh, who moved the public interest litigation, Chidambaram -- senior counsel and himself a former union finance minister -- told the apex court that some bills are called finance bills and very few bills would qualify as money bills. 

After passing the Aadhaar bill in one house (Lok Sabha), the government got it passed in the other house (Rajya Sabha) as a money bill and that is constitutional, he said.

The court fixed May 10 as the next date of hearing as senior counsel Kapil Sibal told the court that Chidambaram being a former finance minister would be in a better position to address the court on the issue. Therefore, it should be heard when he is also present.