Prelims 2024 · Q76
Easyभारत के उच्चतम न्यायालय ने निजता के अधिकार को भारत के संविधान के निम्नलिखित में से किस अनुच्छेद के अंतर्गत रखा है ?
Read this question in English
Under which of the following Articles of the Constitution of India, has the Supreme Court of India placed the Right to Privacy?
(a) Article 15 · (b) Article 16 · (c) Article 19 · (d) Article 21
उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English
Answer: (d) अनुच्छेद 21
In Justice K S Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India (24 August 2017) a nine-judge Bench held that the right to privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21, and as part of the freedoms guaranteed by Part III. It overruled the earlier M P Sharma and Kharak Singh rulings to the extent that they denied such a right.
- ✓ (d) Article 21, 'Protection of life and personal liberty', is the Article the Court named as the home of the right to privacy.
- ✗ (c) Article 19 covers freedoms such as speech. The Court did not anchor privacy there; it named Article 21 and, more widely, the freedoms of Part III.
- ✗ (a) Article 15 is the equality provision against discrimination by the State on the listed grounds, such as religion, race, caste, sex and place of birth. The Court did not place privacy under it.
- ✗ (b) Article 16 deals with equality of opportunity in public employment, not privacy.
Remember · Puttaswamy (2017), nine judges: privacy is a fundamental right, an intrinsic part of life and personal liberty under Article 21 and of the freedoms in Part III.
Sources
- Supreme Court of India, Justice K S Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India, WP(C) 494/2012, order of the Court, 24 August 2017 ↗ “The right to privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 and as a part of the freedoms guaranteed by Part III of the Constitution. … Nine judges of this Court assembled to determine whether privacy is a constitutionally protected value.”
- Constitution of India, Contents: Part III, Articles 19-21 ↗ “19. Protection of certain rights regarding freedom of speech, etc. 20. Protection in respect of conviction for offences. 21. Protection of life and personal liberty. … 14. Equality before law. 15. Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. 16. Equality of opportunity in matters of public employment.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2024, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·