Attorney General Venugopal says 'right to privacy is not an absolute right'

Attorney General KK Venugopal on Wednesday presented the government’s version on right to privacy before a bench of nine-judges in the Supreme Court.

Venugopal said, "right to privacy could have been given as fundamental right in Constitution but the makers left it knowingly."

He said, "Under Article 21, right to life and freedom is also not cited as the fundamental right. Had it been happened, capital punishment could not have been provisioned in the Constitution. It is a fundamental philosophy in itself."

The Attorney General said,"We cannot take anyone’s land, life or asset. But, there are laws that pave the way to acquire them. So, these laws are not full right and restriction can be implemented on these laws."

Aadhaar matter: Punjab, Karnataka, West Bengal and Puducherry approached the Supreme court in favor of Right to Privacy

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Venugopal also cited the example of World Bank and said,"The bank also suggested that each developing nations should have schemes like Aadhaar Card and none can oppose it dubbing it as a breach of right to privacy." Punjab, Karnataka, West Bengal and Puducherry approached the Supreme court in favour of right to privacy.

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He further added that a few people cannot take away the right to food and shelter from a larger section of the population in the name of privacy.