—Contributed by Deepak Miglani

Right to privacy is recognized as a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution by the Supreme Court. Things concerning a person's home, family, religion, health, sexuality, personal life and private affairs are covered by the concept of privacy. Under this right every individual has a right to be let alone and to have  his personal space inviolate.

Every person has a right to decide to whom and to what extent he must relate or communicate. Not only other persons but also the State has no right to violate a citizen's privacy through illegal surveillance or telephone taping etc.Government agencies, media and police force should not intrude or invade the privacy of an individual unless it is for the sake of public interest. The press and the media, however, have the right to comment when a matter becomes a matter of public record. Several judicial pronouncements in India has reiterated the fact that " a citizen has the right to safeguard his own privacy, that of his family,marriage,procreation,motherhood , child-bearing, education etc. and no person can interfere or even publish anything relating to private matters without the consent of the person concerned." It is time our law makers should enact an appropriate law to protect privacy of individual citizens.

The fundamental right of a citizen for free speech, expression and information should touch the private life of person. There is need for national level information, education and communication campaign to make people aware of the right to privacy and to show the legal means available to protect it .Electronic media which violates right to privacy, should be censored and should not be allowed to encroach the privacy of the individual.