Right to Privacy and Fair Trial: High Court on Reasonable Curbs
Why in the news
A High Court observed that privacy is fundamental yet open to reasonable curbs, as it must be balanced against a fair trial in a spousal dispute.
| Provision | Point |
|---|---|
| Article 21 | Balances privacy with fair trial |
| Section 14, Family Courts Act | Courts may accept any material relevant to the dispute |
| Section 122, Indian Evidence Act | Marital communication protected, except between spouses (e.g. divorce) |
About the right to privacy
- Control over personal information, personal autonomy, dignity, data safety and freedom from surveillance.
- Declared fundamental in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India (2017).
Fundamental rights
- Guaranteed in Articles 12 to 35, Part III; a check on abuse of power.
Exam angle
- Case: Puttaswamy (2017); Article 21; Part III.