A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Madras High Court requesting it to direct the Tamil Nadu government to stop implementing the linking of Aadhaar card with electricity board (EB) connections. The petition also requested the court to revoke a government order dated October 6 that enabled the implementation of Aadhaar linking with EB connection. The PIL was listed for hearing on Wednesday, December 7, by a bench composed of acting Chief Justice T Raja and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy. It was adjourned for a day on the petitioner's request.
The petitioner is ML Ravi, advocate and leader of the Desiya Makkal Sakthi party. Ravi argued that Aadhaar-linking will create a big issue for persons who live in rented houses. “What will the new tenant do if the current tenant linked his Aadhaar details to the EB connection of the rented house?” he asked. The petitioner also requested the court to direct Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) to withdraw from the implementation of Aadhaar-EB linking because it creates disparity between people who benefit from social welfare schemes.
“The state government conducts special camps across the state to link Aadhaar with the EB connection. The Aadhaar Act mandated providing alternative proof if people don’t have Aadhaar cards. But the TN government didn’t provide alternative options for those without Aadhaar,” the PIL read. It also alleged that there is no legal provision for the government to state that it will not give subsidies to those who do not link Aadhaar with their EB connection.
TANGEDCO is conducting camps in 2,811 section offices across the state to help consumers with the linking. Special camps started on November 28 and will continue till December 31, except on government holidays. Implementation of seeding Aadhaar details with EB connection started as a move to benefit the loss-making TANGEDCO, to make it easier for consumers to avail benefits, to update the data of consumers who had domestic, handloom, and power looms electricity connections, and to reduce illegal consumption of electricity.
Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji, during a press conference on November 28, said that this new instruction will not affect subsidies that are already available. “People will enjoy cost-free electricity for the first 100 units. The subsidies for the farmers, handloom, and power loom weavers will continue without any issue,” Senthil Balaji said, adding that the free electricity to thatched houses will continue.