Opposition Overruled. Aadhaar Legislation Cleared Without Changes

New Delhi: The Aadhaar Bill, which will give central agencies access to the world's biggest biometric database, was passed in Parliament today after changes suggested by the opposition were overruled.

The opposition in Rajya Sabha, bristling since the proposal was controversially passed in the Lok Sabha last week, sent the bill back with changes.

But it wasn't more than a symbolic victory as the changes were rejected in the Lok Sabha and the bill was passed in the absence of Congress members, who had walked out.

The changes, proposed by Congress lawmaker Jairam Ramesh, were linked to concerns over the right to privacy of the individual and national security.

The opposition argued that the privacy of a billion people could be compromised and data could be misused to profile and target individuals.

"You are displaying arrogance and are not willing to listen to others," Left parliamentarian Sitaram Yechury shouted to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley during the debate.

Last Friday, the BJP-led government used its huge majority in the Lok Sabha to pass the Aadhaar Bill as a "money bill", which means it cannot be blocked in the Rajya Sabha - where the government is in a minority.

Mr Jaitley, responding to opposition protests, remarked: "Yechury will sit here and give a running commentary."

He explained that "If the principle purpose is money spent out of consolidated fund of India in particular manner and machinery is created for spending that money, it is a money bill."

The minister also said a citizen's data will only be shared with security agencies on grounds of national security and with a court order.  

There have been precedents in 1977 and 1978 when finance bills were returned to the Lok Sabha with suggestions. The Lok Sabha rejected the amendments.

The government had earlier rejected the opposition's rare demand to extend the sitting of the Rajya Sabha by two days to discuss the Aadhaar bill. The budget session will resume next month after a 39-day recess.

The bill gives legal sanction to the unique identification number or Aadhaar as a single window to distribute subsidy and welfare schemes to citizens.