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 on Monday at his residence in Bengaluru. He was 98.
Justice Puttaswamy was the first to petition in Supreme Court against the central government's decision to make Adhar mandatory in 2012.
His petition challenged the constitutional validity of the Adhar scheme. Later, as many as 26 petitions were added to his and the court eventually held that right to privacy is a fundamental right. However, the apex court refused to strike down the scheme.
Born on February 8, 1926, Puttaswamy studied at Maharaja's College, Mysore and obtained a law degree from Government Law College, Bengaluru.
Justice Puttaswamy enrolled as an advocate in 1952 and was appointed as a judge of the Karnataka High Court in November 1977.
After his retirement in 1986, Justice Puttaswamy served as the vice-chairman of the Central Administrative Tribunal’s Bangalore Bench, chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Administrative Tribunal and the chairman of the Backward Classes Commission.
(With inputs from PTI)