K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017)

The nine-judge constitutional bench in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India (2017) unanimously held that the right to privacy is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution. The Court held that privacy encompasses informational privacy, bodily integrity, and decisional autonomy — including choices about one's identity, sexual orientation, and gender expression. The judgment specifically identified dignity and autonomy as core elements, and noted that the State cannot compel disclosure of personal biological information as a condition for exercising rights.