In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court of India has pronounced privacy as a fundamental right protected by the Constitution. A rare nine-member bench gave the judgement stating privacy as basic right. This is following scores of petitions by people challenging the Union Government’s mandatory use of Aadhaar cards, a unique 12-digit ID to provided to every citizen.
While the Centre had termed privacy as a “vague and amorphous” right which cannot be granted primacy to deprive poor people of their rights to life, food and shelter and stated that Constitution doesn’t guarantee individual privacy, the apex court had unanimously held the right to privacy as a fundamental right and said it was intrinsic to freedom of life and personal liberty, that is guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.
However, the Supreme Court verdict does not comment on whether the government’s demand for Aadhar to be linked to all financial transactions amounts to an infringement of privacy.
Meanwhile, Congress has welcomed this ‘unanimous’ judgement of the Supreme Court bench and described it as a major setback to the BJP-led NDA government.
Recent Random Post:
