Aadhaar is a "giant electronic mesh" and will turn the country "into a surveillance state," petitioners alleged today as five judges of the Supreme Court began final hearing on a batch of petitions that challenge the citizen identity programme, contending that it violates an individual's fundamental right to privacy. The petitions also argue against a 2016 law enacted by parliament that empowers the government to force people to enrol for the 12-digit identification number to access public benefits and services.