SC Verdict on Privacy Enhances Citizen Rights: Soli Sorabjee

Soli Sorabjee said the government cannot use reasonable restrictions on privacy as per their whims and fancies.

File photo of Soli Sorabjee.

(Photo: The Quint)

Former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee welcomed the apex court’s verdict on the Right to Privacy, and said that the verdict “enhances citizens’ rights.”

Any decision that enhances the citizen’s rights should be welcome. The Supreme Court did not hesitate to overrule its previous judgments that seemed to suggest that privacy was not a fundamental right.

Soli Sorabjee

“If cases are made for them to reconsider previous judgement, which they have done in this case, it is a commendable feature,” said Sorabjee.

Sorabjee, responding to how it will affect the daily lives of the people, said that the state now does not have a legal backing to snoop over matters which do not concern it.

Right to privacy is the right to be left alone. It is a precious right. Like all fundamental rights, it is not absolute. In some case, there are bound to be restrictions. But these restrictions cannot be used by the whims and fancies of the government.

Soli Sorabjee

When asked if it was a blow to his government, he said that it was not and that Aadhaar can still go on without infringing much of privacy.