New Delhi, June 3 -- In a significant ruling, the Madras High Court on Tuesday said the Right to Privacy is not absolute and the Tamil Nadu governmentis required to prevent social harm.

The court was hearing petitions challenging the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority (Real Money Games) Regulations 2025, mandating a "blank hour" midnight to 5 AM ban on gaming and an Aadhaar-based user verification system.

A Madras High Court bench of justices SM Subramaniam and K Rajasekar dismissed the petitions, saying that the online gaming regulations amounted to "reasonable restrictions" that govern all fundamental rights.

The bench added that a user's fundamental right to privacy cannot be considered absolute and needs to be balanced with public ...