Ex-Karnataka HC judge K S Puttaswamy, lead petitioner in privacy case, passes away

Former Karnataka High Court judge Justice K S Puttaswamy, who played a pivotal role in declaration of right to privacy as a fundamental right from the Supreme Court in 2017, passed away at his Bengaluru residence on Monday.

He was 98.

Justice Puttaswamy was the lead petitioner who had moved the apex court in 2012 challenging the constitutional validity of the Aadhaar scheme as being violative of the privacy right.

The Aadhaar scheme subsequently received legislative sanction.

In a landmark verdict in August 2017, a nine-judge bench through an unanimous verdict declared the right to privacy a fundamental right under Article 21 (protection of life and personal liberty) of the Constitution.

It had underlined privacy to be “the constitutional core of human dignity”.

Born on February 8, 1926, Puttaswamy studied at Maharaja’s College, Mysore and obtained a law degree from Government Law College, Bengaluru.

He was enrolled as an advocate in January 1952 and became the Karnataka High Court judge on November 28, 1977.