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Indians have right to privacy, Supreme Court rules Indian Supreme Court in landmark ruling on privacy
(about 1 hour later)
India's Supreme Court has ruled that citizens have a fundamental right to privacy, in a landmark judgement.India's Supreme Court has ruled that citizens have a fundamental right to privacy, in a landmark judgement.
The nine-judge bench ruled that the right to privacy "is protected as an intrinsic part of Article 21 that protects life and liberty". The judges ruled the right to privacy was "an intrinsic part of Article 21 that protects life and liberty".
The verdict came in response to privacy concerns over a controversial government biometric ID card scheme. The ruling has implications for the government's vast biometric ID scheme, covering access to benefits, bank accounts and payment of taxes.
Rights groups are concerned personal data could be misused. The authorities want registration to be compulsory.Rights groups are concerned personal data could be misused. The authorities want registration to be compulsory.
The verdict overturns two previous rulings by the top court which said that privacy was not a fundamental right.The verdict overturns two previous rulings by the top court which said that privacy was not a fundamental right.
Speaking to reporters outside court, lawyer Prashant Bhushan, who represented the petitioners, described the ruling as historic. The nine-judge bench, comprising all the sitting judges in the Supreme Court was necessary because one of the earlier rulings made in 1954, was delivered by an eight-judge bench.
He said that a smaller bench would now look into the validity of the Aadhaar scheme. Speaking to reporters outside court, lawyer Prashant Bhushan, who represented the petitioners, described the ruling as "historic".
He said that a smaller bench would now look into the validity of the Aadhaar scheme. The ruling is expected to have implications for the scheme.
Aadhaar, which means foundation, started out as a voluntary programme to help tackle benefit fraud.
But recently it has been made mandatory for access to welfare schemes. It is the largest biometric identity scheme in the world.
The government has taken contradictory stands on the issue of privacy.
In previous cases, it has taken the stand that privacy was protected by the constitution, but argued otherwise in the Aadhaar case.