---
title: "Puttaswamy (Aadhaar) Judgment: 2018 Ruling | Model Diplomat"
description: "The Puttaswamy (Aadhaar) Judgment is the 2018 Supreme Court ruling upholding Aadhaar but striking Section 57 private use—distinct from the 2017 privacy verdict."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/puttaswamy-aadhaar-judgment"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- The Puttaswamy (Aadhaar) Judgment is the 2018 Supreme Court of India ruling that upheld the Aadhaar Act while reading down provisions on mandatory linkage and private-sector authentication.
- How does the 2018 Aadhaar Judgment differ from the 2017 Puttaswamy privacy ruling?
- What did the Court decide on Section 57 and private use of Aadhaar?
- Why is the Money Bill classification controversial?
- What is the proportionality test applied in the judgment?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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Example

In September 2018, the Supreme Court of India struck down Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act, ending mandatory Aadhaar-SIM linking imposed by the Department of Telecommunications and barring private banks from compelling Aadhaar authentication.

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