Right to privacy to protect not only telephonic conversations but also online data: Justice L N Rao

right to privacy, recognised as a fundamental right by Supreme Court, has evolved to protect t only telephonic conversations but also online data, an apex court judge said on Saturday.

Justice L Nswara Rao said evolution of law assumes importance because it represents progress of a nation and its social conditions, and that failure to evolve law in accordance with changing circumstances often les to injustice.

" right to privacy, which is a topic for panel discussion and which has been recognised as a fundamental right by Supreme Court, has truly transformed in shape and form in last 60 years of its existence in Indian law. While it was initially limited to dealing with issues of surveillance and protection of epistolary communications, it has w evolved to protect t only telephonic conversations but also protection of online data.

"It is this challenge of interpreting unchanged laws in light of vastly changed social and political contexts which courts constantly grapple with. Judges across countries would presumably deal with such issues differently. However, an understanding of different judicial approaches opted across globe would allow us to approach legal problems in a more holistic manner. This is essentially because in democracies, fundamental values and goals on basis of which judges discharge ir duties remain similar," he said.

Speaking at inaugural function of International Judicial Conference here on me 'Judiciary and Changing World', Justice Rao said that over a period of 70 years, judges of Supreme Court have been responsible for independent and impartial dispensation of justice, apart from protecting guaranteed rights of people.

"Evolution of law assumes importance because law represents progress of a nation and its social conditions, and failure to evolve law in accordance with changing circumstances often les to injustice. Each legal system has its own method of evolving laws but in most such systems, constitutional law plays an important role in ensuring that changing circumstances are reflected in law.

"This is so because constitutional law is understood to be constantly evolving. refore, it becomes incumbent upon judiciary to provide constitutionally sanctioned methods of interpretation through which laws are shaped to reflect changed social facts," he said. PTI UK RKS MNL ABA SJK SMN