Interview with Reetika Khera on the Indian Supreme Court's verdict on Aadhaar
b"On 26 September 2018, India\\u2019s Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of Aadhaar, the country\\u2019s controversial biometric national-identification programme. The ruling has, however, placed limits on its use by private entities, making it illegal for them to mandate it for providing services. Over the years, the project has faced criticism for enabling surveillance and invasions of privacy.\\nIn this episode of Himal Interviews, we talk to Reetika Khera \\u2013 professor of economics at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad \\u2013 who has been studying Aadhaar since its inception in 2009 and argues that the system impedes, rather than enhances, welfare delivery. Author of the forthcoming book Big Data Meets Big Brother, Khera speaks to our Deputy Associate Editor Shubhanga Pandey about the Supreme Court judgment, how Aadhaar is disguised as a welfare programme, and how it enables both state and corporate surveillance.\\n\\nGo to www.himalmag.com for more on politics and culture in Southasia.\\n----------------------------------------------------\\nIntro and outro music derived from 'Ways of Rahjan' by Ask Again from Free Music Archive."