The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that digital access is a fundamental right for all citizens and must be protected under the Constitution. This means the government must make sure that everyone, including people in rural areas and those from underprivileged communities, can access digital services.

The judgment came after an acid attack survivor filed a case about the difficulties she faced while trying to complete her KYC (Know Your Customer) process at a bank.The court said that ensuring equal digital access is no longer just a government policy choice, it is now a constitutional duty. It added that the right to digital access is part of the right to live with dignity and freedom.

The judges also said that the government must create a digital system that includes not just the well-off, but also people who have long been left out of such systems. The Court also ordered changes to digital KYC (Know Your Customer) rules so that people with facial injuries from acid attacks or those with visual impairments can easily access banking and government services.

A bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan said that the government must build a digital system that includes everyone, especially those from vulnerable or marginalised backgrounds. Since most welfare schemes and services are now available online, making sure everyone can use them is necessary for living a life with dignity.

It further stated that access to digital services is now part of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. It also directed that all government websites, educational platforms, and financial technology services must be made fully accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities.

Justice Mahadevan, in the judgment, said that as more and more essential services like education, healthcare, jobs, and government support are moving online, the meaning of the right to life under Article 21 must now take these digital changes into account.

He pointed out that many groups, such as people with disabilities, rural residents, the elderly, poor families, and those who speak regional languages, are being left behind because they don’t have equal access to digital tools, the internet, or skills. This growing digital gap is creating unfair disadvantages for these communities.