Justice K S Puttaswamy, key petitioner in right to privacy case, passes away

Justice K S Puttaswamy, the lead petitioner in the landmark Right to Privacy case, passed away at the age of 98 on October 28, 2024.

He was a former judge of the Karnataka High Court and played a pivotal role in the Supreme Court's 2017 verdict that recognized the right to privacy as a fundamental right under the Indian Constitution.

In 2012, at the age of 86, Justice Puttaswamy would be one of the first litigants to challenge the Aadhaar scheme when it was still an initiative of the UPA government at the Centre.

This led to a historic decision in August 2017 where a nine-judge bench unanimously recognised the fundamental right to privacy in the case of Justice K S Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India.

Impact: The verdict had significant implications for data protection, personal freedom, and civil liberties in India. 

Public Awareness: Increased public awareness about data privacy and individual rights.