Article Title: Digital access a part of fundamental right to life and liberty – Supreme Court
02-05-2025
Polity & Governance Current Affairs Analysis
Context
• Inclusive and meaningful digital access to e-governance and welfare delivery systems is a part of the fundamental right to life and liberty, the Supreme Court held in a judgment on Wednesday.
• A Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan, hearing a petition on how people with disability find it nearly impossible to complete the digital Know Your Customer (KYC) process, said that the state has an obligation to provide an inclusive digital ecosystem to the marginalised, underprivileged, vulnerable, disabled, and historically excluded sections of society. Amidst the “wave of digital progress” in India a crucial aspect often overlooked is whether this technology is truly inclusive, the court said.
• “The right to digital access emerges as an instinctive component of the right to life and liberty, necessitating the state to proactively design and implement inclusive digital ecosystems to serve not only the privileged, but also the marginalised,” said Justice Mahadevan, who authored the judgment.
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