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India's Top Court Rules Citizens Have Fundamental Right to Privacy

  • Top court verdict around use of Aadhaar biometric program
  • Ruling may impact data use by firms such as Facebook, Google
Modi’s government has attempted to make Aadhaar compulsory for a number of government services ranging from school meals for students to paying taxes, raising concerns about privacy and data theft.

Modi’s government has attempted to make Aadhaar compulsory for a number of government services ranging from school meals for students to paying taxes, raising concerns about privacy and data theft.

Photographer: Pallava Bagla/Corbis via Getty Images
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India’s top court has ruled citizens have a fundamental right to privacy, a potential setback to the government’s plan of using its vast biometric identification program in everything from mobile connections to income-tax filings.

In an unanimous verdict nine judges of the Supreme Court ruled that privacy was a part of the fundamental right to life and liberty guaranteed under the country’s constitution.