The Supreme Court today rejected the Centre's plea to modify an interim ruling that the Aadhaar or the Unique Identity Card is not mandatory for essential services.

The court also took a dig at the government over its ordinance to override a Supreme Court order disqualifying convicted MPs, withdrawn last week in a blaze of controversy. 

When the government lawyer admitted that a law on Aadhaar was before the cabinet, the judges sarcastically said, "You have the ordinance route also. If you have a law this case becomes irrelevant."

This comes on a day the Cabinet approved the National Identification Authority of India Bill that will give legal backing to the Aadhaar card.

The Bill may be tabled during the winter session of Parliament, say sources. The authority that issues the 12-digit Aadhaar numbers to citizens currently operates through an executive order. -- NDTV