Privacy and freedom of expression of the citizens of the country are guaranteed by the constitution. Violation of that right by the government is legally listed as a crime. Police and some investigative agencies may have to leak the phone details of certain individuals as part of the case investigation. It has procedures. Intelligence agencies also leak phones as part of national security. This has been going on for ages. Even riots have been averted in the country by taking action on the basis of intelligence information.

However, the allegation that the central government leaked the phones of some prominent people in the country using Israeli software Pegasus is very serious. The Supreme Court's ruling that this cannot be ruled out under the guise of national security strengthens the privacy of the citizen and the independent democratic system.

By appointing a Supreme Court panel, the apex court ruled that appointing a central committee to the inquiry would be a violation of judicial principles against bias and that it needed to be convinced that justice had been served.

According to a report released by the Citizen Lab affiliated with the University of Toronto in Canada, individuals from forty-five countries have been victims of the Pegasus. Many countries have launched investigations and taken action. Amnesty International has stated that the presence of a phone number on the list does not mean necessarily mean that the phone details were leaked. Union ministers also told parliament that they have not misused Pegasus. The government has nothing to worry about the Supreme Court panel's inquiry if it had not leaked any phone details using the Israeli software. At the same time, the petitioners can be relieved by ensuring an impartial inquiry. They will also be obliged to accept the findings of the committee whether they are in favor or against. Meanwhile, information about phone leaks that were done in the name of security should not come out. The CBI had recently arrested a naval commander and two others for leaking secrets of the Navy's submarine modernization project. It is therefore in the public interest of the country to continue to leak confidential information in such areas. But it would be dangerous if the phones of political opponents and prominent figures criticizing the government were leaked under its cover. No country should dare to look at the citizens of the country through the eyes of a spy. If that happens then democracy and freedom will be sacrificed. Only in a free environment can human creativity fully develop. The decision of the apex court will pave way for that.

The apex court has also empowered the panel to decide and recommend whether new legislation or amendments are needed on issues such as cyber security, privacy and surveillance. This inquiry can be considered as the beginning of a big change.