Aadhar verification for Tatkal bookings not violative of privacy rights: Kerala High Court
The Kerala High Court ruled that mandatory Aadhaar authentication for Tatkal train bookings does not violate privacy rights. The court found the measure justified as a way to prevent bulk booking by touts and ensure fair access for genuine passengers.
Why it matters
The ruling clarifies the legal boundaries between digital security measures in public services and individual privacy rights.
Aadhaar authentication required for Tatkal train ticketing system does not violate the Right to Privacy of a user, said Kerala High Court on Thursday.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice V.M. Syam Kumar was considering a public interest litigation challenging the requirement of Aadhaar-based OTP authentication in the Tatkal ticketing system introduced by the Ministry of Railways.
The court observed that the authentication is optional and there is no compulsion to share the Aadhaar details for ticket purchases online through the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation website. It noted that the requirement for authentication for Tatkal tickets was justified based on experiences of alleged deceit, manipulation and bulk booking, which denied access to the ticketing system for genuine users.
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