Notion of democratic state would be hollow in absence of privacy: Nariman

The Supreme Court's judge Justice R F Nariman on Thursday held that the notion of the democratic nation would be “hollow” in absence of right to privacy as a fundamental right.
 
He, along with other judges, in nine-judge bench rejected the government's contention that privacy is vague and amorphous, so it should not be regarded as a fundamental right.
 
“The core value of the nation being democratic, for example, would be hollow unless persons in a democracy are able to develop fully in order to make informed choices for themselves which affect their daily lives and their choice of how they are to be governed,” he said.
 
In his separate 122-page judgement, he, however, said the fundamental right of privacy, which has so many developing facets, can only be developed on a case to case basis.
 
“Depending upon the particular facet that is relied upon, either Article 21 by itself or in conjunction with other fundamental rights would get attracted,” he said while holding that right to privacy is a fundamental right.