Delhi HC Upholds 'Right to Be Forgotten'

The India — Delhi High Court has delivered a landmark judgment recognizing the 'right to be forgotten' as an integral part of the fundamental right to privacy under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The court ruled that search engines like Alphabet Inc.'s Google and legal database platforms such as Indian Kanoon cannot perpetually display judicial records in name-based searches for cases that are private, or have resulted in acquittal, discharge, quashing, or settlement. The ruling mandates de-indexing and disabling of name-based search functionality for such records, with the India — Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology directed to ensure compliance within two weeks. The court clarified that this right is not absolute, refusing relief in cases involving public figures, crimes against women or children, or breaches of public trust. This decision aims to protect individuals from endless reputational harm caused by digital records, balancing informational privacy with the principle of open justice.