Know Your Rights!

This section is to help you to develop an awareness and understanding about a range of rights – from food to education to information and in the process help you achieve your rights effectively.

These are the six Fundamental Rights recognised by the Indian Constitution-

Right to Equality

  • Article 14 :- Equality before law and equal protection of law.
  • Article 15 :- Prohibition of discrimination on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.
  • Article 16 :- Equality of opportunity in matters of public employment.
  • Article 17 :- End of untouchability.
  • Article 18 :- Abolition of titles, Military and academic distinctions are, however, exempted.

 Right to Freedom

  • Article 19 :- It guarantees the citizens of India the following six fundamentals freedoms:-
    1. Freedom of Speech and Expression.
    2. Freedom of Assembly.
    3. Freedom of form Associations.
    4. Freedom of Movement.
    5. Freedom of Residence and Settlement.
    6. Freedom of Profession, Occupation, Trade and Bussiness.
  • Article 20 :- Protection in respect of conviction for offences.
  • Article 21 :- Protection of life and personal liberty.
  • Article 22 :- Protection against arrest and detention in certain cases.

Right Against Exploitation

  • Article 23 :- Traffic in human beings prohibited.
  • Article 24 :- No child below the age of 14 can be employed.

Right to freedom of Religion

  • Article 25 :- Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion.
  • Article 26 :- Freedom to manage religious affairs.
  • Article 27 :- Prohibits taxes on religious grounds.
  • Article 28 :- Freedom as to attendance at religious ceremonies in certain educational institutions.

Cultural and Educational Rights

  • Article 29 :- Protection of interests of minorities.
  • Article 30 :- Right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions.
  • Article 31 :- Omitted by the 44th Amendment Act.

Right to Constitutional Remedies

  • Article 32 :- The right to move the Supreme Court in case of their violation (called Soul and heart of the Constitution by BR Ambedkar).
  • Forms of Writ check.
  • Habeas Corpus: – Equality before law and equal protection of law.

Key Right Based Legislations enacted by the Govt. of India

  1. Right to Information (RTI) :- http://rti.gov.in
  2. Right to Education (RTE) :- http://mhrd.gov.in/rte
  3. The National Food Security Act, 2013 :- http://indiacode.nic.in/acts-in-pdf/202013.pdf