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Supreme Court Examines Right to be Forgotten for Online News Reports Under Article 21

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims MediumMains HighStatic GK Link
06 Feb 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:Article 21November 18, 2020October 27, 2023August 19, 2024December 2025March 16
Bodies:Supreme CourtDelhi High CourtPatiala House courtEnforcement Directorate
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.The Supreme Court issued notice and stayed a Delhi High Court order that directed the removal of news URLs based on the 'Right to be Forgotten' invoked by a discharged accused.

2.The case centers on whether accurate news reports based on public records (like ED press releases) can be erased post-acquittal, raising concerns about rewriting history and chilling press freedom.

3.The core legal conflict is between Article 21 (Right to Life, Privacy, Dignity) and Article 19(1)(a) (Freedom of Speech and Expression), with significant implications for digital archiving and media law.

The Big Picture
Prelims · MediumMains · High

The Supreme Court is set to decide a landmark case on whether the 'Right to be Forgotten' (RTBF), a facet of the Right to Privacy, can be used to erase or de-index factual news reports from the internet after an accused is exonerated. This case pits an individual's right to dignity against the media's freedom of expression and the public's right to access truthful historical records.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

SC BenchJustices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan
Delhi HC Judgment DateDecember 2025
Next Hearing DateMarch 16
News Reports UploadedNov 18, 2020; Oct 27, 2023; Aug 19, 2024

1-Minute Revision

  • ›SC Bench: Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan
  • ›Delhi HC Judgment Date: December 2025
  • ›Target this Legal Point: Article 21 (Right to Privacy/Dignity) vs Article 19(1)(a) (Freedom of Speech).
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Supreme Court of India (Constitutional Bench).
  • ›Target this Precedent: Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) vs Union Of India (2017) - established privacy as a fundamental right.

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

The 'Right to be Forgotten', which is at the center of the Supreme Court case, is primarily considered a facet of which Fundamental Right?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the recent Supreme Court case on the 'Right to be Forgotten':

1. The case involves a plea by a media organization challenging a Delhi High Court order.

2. The Delhi High Court had ruled that the 'Right to be Forgotten' is absolute and overrides all other rights.

3. The news reports in question were based on publicly available records from the Enforcement Directorate.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

As per the news article, when is the Supreme Court scheduled to next hear the case concerning the 'Right to be Forgotten' and online news?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary concern raised by the media petitioner against applying the 'Right to be Forgotten' to factual news reports?

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