Privacy A Fundamental Right: Supreme Court

It is a judgment that has empowered the citizens of India like never before. Right to Privacy is a fundamental right under the Constitution. For the first time, the Supreme Court laid that out clearly in a landmark ruling which affects the lives of all Indians. The judgment today was unanimous. Nine judges of the Supreme Court ruled that 'Right to Privacy is an intrinsic part of Right to Life and Personal Liberty under Article 21'. The order is a huge victory for those who have tirelessly fought against the intrusion of the state into our lives. It is also a huge blow to the government, which had argued in court, that the right to privacy was not a fundamental right. It is a judgment that may not only have a bearing on Aadhaar but also on Section 377 which criminalises homosexuality and on other issues like the state barging into your home to see if you have beef stored in the fridge. In a huge boost to the LGBT community the court said 'One's sexual orientation is undoubtedly an attribute of privacy'.