6.10.8. Right to Privacy

In Justice K. S. Puttaswamy (retd.) vs Union of India (2017), a nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court ruled that right to privacy is an intrinsic part of life and liberty under Article

21. However, the court held that privacy is not an absolute right.

The government can introduce a law which “intrudes” into privacy for public and legitimate state reasons. Legitimate aims of the state would include for instance protecting national security, preventing and investigating crime, encouraging innovation and the spread of knowledge and preventing the dissipation of social welfare benefits. But a person can challenge this law in country’s constitutional courts for violation of his fundamental right to privacy.