Ex-Karnataka HC judge K S Puttaswamy, lead petitioner in privacy case, dead at 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.

Bengaluru: Justice KS Puttaswamy, key petitioner in the celebrated ‘right to privacy case’, passed away at his residence in Bengaluru on Monday. He was 98. Justice Puttaswamy was former Karnataka high court judge and served as a judge till his retirement in 1986.

Justice Puttaswamy was appointed as the first Vice-Chairman of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Bengaluru Bench in September 1986. Later, he also served as Chairman, Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunal and Chairman of AP Commission for Backward Classes.

At the age of 86, Justice Puttaswamy hit the headlines when he challenged the then Aadhaar scheme before the Apex Court in 2012. The scheme was then sought to be introduced on an executive order.

In a landmark verdict in August 2018, a nine judge constitution bench of the Apex Court upheld the scheme with certain riders. The bench, however, observed that the right to privacy, as contended by Justice Puttaswamy, would fall under the category of the fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The union government subsequently enacted a law called the Aadhar Act to govern the scheme.

Born on February 8, 1926, Justice Puttaswamy had studied in Maharaja’s College, Mysuru and Government Law College, Bengaluru. In 1952, he was enrolled as an advocate. Justice Puttaswamy was elevated as a judge of the High Court on November 28, 1977.