A Litmus Test: 

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A Litmus Test

Context Loss of Right to Privacy will take away the minute rights citizens hold today. The right to privacy is not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution.

The cons of not having Right to Privacy

  • Citizens will lose guards against surveillance and even reporting by the state, the state could target those who speak against it, even voting preferences may be influenced, telephone tapping could be routinely resorted to and our mails intercepted.
  • If the text of the Constitution alone is going to determine the nature of the right to privacy, then the collegium system, the right against arbitrariness and the freedom of press too could go soon.
  • Intended surrender of personal information to private entities cannot be equated with mandatory data collection by the state.
  • Despite the recognition of privacy as a fundamental right, the government will continue to have powers to impose “reasonable restrictions”.
  • It is nobody’s case that the right to privacy is an absolute right.
  • Denial of privacy neither promotes national security nor curbs terrorism, it merely takes away citizen’s freedom to be left alone and curtails his/her choice in personal decisions.
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