Narco-Analysis Constitutionality in India: 2025 Supreme Court Ruling on Consent, Rights, and Legal Admissibility Explained.
The Supreme Court’s 2025 ruling in Amlesh Kumar v. State of Bihar reaffirms that narco-analysis, polygraph and brain-mapping tests cannot be used without free and informed consent. The judgment clarifies that such techniques cannot be ordered during bail hearings, cannot form the sole basis of conviction, and are not an absolute right for the accused. By reiterating the principles laid down in Selvi v. State of Karnataka (2010), the Court strengthens constitutional protections under Articles 20(3) and 21 and sets clear limits on the use of coercive investigative methods.