Supreme Court tells petitioner there’s no ‘fundamental right’ to WhatsApp access

In a surprising turn of events, the Supreme Court has weighed in on the accessibility of popular messaging platforms. During a recent hearing, the court addressed a petition from Dr. Raman Kundra, a physician who sought the reinstatement of her blocked WhatsApp account. The judges not only denied her request but also recommended an alternative: the indigenous messaging app, Arattai. Dr. Kundra, represented by Senior Advocate Mahalaxmi Pavani, argued that her long-term use of WhatsApp for client communication was essential. She filed a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution, claiming that the blocking of her account on September 13 constituted a violation of her fundamental rights. Despite her claims, the bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, clarified that there is no constitutional guarantee for access to private digital services like WhatsApp. They emphasized that users must adhere to the platform's policies to utilize its services. Addressing the petitioner, Justice Mehta remarked, "What is your fundamental right to have access to WhatsApp? There are other communication applications, you can use them. Recently, there's this indigenous app called Arattai… use that. Make in India!" This suggestion comes as Arattai, developed by Zoho Corp, has recently surged in popularity, bolstered by government initiatives promoting domestically produced applications. With over 7.5 million downloads, Arattai has emerged as one of the fastest-growing messaging apps, topping the charts on both the App Store and Google Play Store. Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu praised his team for their dedication, stating on X (formerly Twitter), "All of you have worked hard for over 5 years without expecting that the product would ever take off. Allow neither praise nor criticism nor fame to distract you; resolutely stay the course. That is our mindset."