The Supreme Court on Monday said the unique identification number - Aadhaar card - cannot be made mandatory for availing benefits under social welfare schemes.

This was stated by a bench of Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul.

Senor counsel Shyam Divan had challenged a spare of orders issued by the government making Aadhaar mandatory to access benefits under various schemes.