SC reserves judgement on right to privacy being a fundamental right

The nine-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court on 2 August reserved its judgement over issue of whether right to privacy is fundamental right or not.

On 26 July, the Centre told the apex court that there is a fundamental right to privacy, but is a 'wholly qualified right'.

The centre made this submission before the nine-judge Constitution bench that is hearing the Aadhaar Card privacy matter.

Attorney General, K.K. Venugopal told the apex court that "privacy, as a fundamental right, could have been mentioned in Article 21, but has been omitted. Right to life transcends right to privacy".

In special circumstances, government can interfere in a matter that comes under a wholly qualified right. An absolute right cannot be reduced or amended.

Earlier on 20 July, all the petitioners had completed their argument in the apex court. The petitioners contested that the twelve-digit biometric unique identification card raises privacy threat.

On 10 June, the top court had ruled that from 1 July  onward, every person eligible to obtain Aadhar card must quote their Aadhaar number or their Aadhaar Enrolment ID number for filing of Income Tax Returns as well as for applications for Permanent Account Number (PAN).

The Income Tax Department has stepped up its efforts to encourage people to link their PAN with Aadhar. 

-ANI