Delhi High Court rules that the right to be forgotten is part of personal privacy

The Delhi High Court has observed that the right to privacy includes the broader concept of the “right to be forgotten.” The court directed search engines like Google to remove the names of individuals who have been acquitted, cleared of charges, or have settled disputes, from court judgments and online news records.

Justice Sachin Datta’s bench stated that repeatedly exposing such individuals to past accusations is inappropriate and harms their dignity. While judicial transparency is important, continued online availability of outdated criminal allegations violates personal privacy. The court ordered removal of such data from search engine databases and websites, granting relief to several petitioners.