The Gujarat High Court ruled that clicking and sharing photographs of an exam paper via WhatsApp does not breach privacy under the IT Act. This decision highlights the court's interpretation of privacy in digital communication.
Gujarat HC Rules on Sharing Exam Paper Photos
The Gujarat High Court has ruled that capturing and disseminating images of a question paper during an examination via WhatsApp does not constitute a privacy violation under Section 66E of the Information Technology Act, 2000 in the case of Rahul Babulal Purohit & Anr. v State of Gujarat & Anr..
This ruling emerged from a plea by two individuals seeking to quash a first information report (FIR) registered against them. Justice PM Raval noted that the act of sending photographs in this context does not infringe upon the legal definition of privacy, indicating a narrowing scope for privacy claims involving routine digital communications.
By clarifying the boundaries between privacy rights and communicative actions, this judgment may influence how similar cases are approached in the future, especially in contexts involving academic integrity and the sharing of materials related to examinations.
For practitioners, this decision elucidates the current interpretations of privacy in the digital era, fostering a better understanding of what constitutes a breach under the IT Act as related to collaborative behaviors among students.
Citations
- Rahul Babulal Purohit & Anr. v State of Gujarat & Anr. (2026) Gujarat High Court
