This Article is written by Shailesh Sharma, a student in 2nd year of B.A., LL.B studying at Lovely Professional University, Phagwara.
As we can say, all who are here are able of understanding Article 14 of the Indian Constitution
i.e. “Right to Equality”. We can say that after 73 years of independence, our country is not in a position to gain real independence. wicked like discrimination is still be victorious in our country. As the one who created our Constitution suffered from this offensive. Even now there are some places where people don’t seem to be treated equally and they are discriminated against on different basis like religion, race, sex, caste, place of origin, etc.
As we now RIGHT TO EQUALITY is a fundamental right to human so it helps us to ensure the guarantee to every person for the right to equality before the law and equal protection of law.
This right that is right to equality is not only limited to Indian citizens only but also to non-citizens.
Table of Contents
Article 14
Thus Article fourteen says that “The state shall not deny to someone equality before the law or equal protection of laws within the territory of Asian country Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of faith, race, caste, sex or place of birth.” .”
Thus we have a tendency to square measure getting to say that this law are going to be followed by all voters likewise as non-voters.
Equality before Law
. It is obtained from English law.
. This implies the absence of any special privileges in someone.
. Implies no discrimination before the law on malapropos grounds like rank, office, etc.
. States that each individual is subject to the jurisdiction of standard courts no matter their rank or position
Equal Protection of Law
. It is effected from equality before the law.
. It is supported the last clause of the primary section of the fourteenth modification of the America Constitution.
. It directs that equal protection ought to be secured to all or any persons at intervals the territorial jurisdiction.
. This implies that such protection ought to be with none favour and discrimination.
. This implies equal treatment in similar circumstances, each within the privileges and liabilities obligatory by the law.
. It is a positive obligation of the state that it ought to deliver the goods by conveyance concerning necessary social and economic changes, to confirm one and all enjoys such equal protection.
Rule of law
The principle of Article fourteen, ‘equality before the law’ to an outsized extent supported the conception of Rule of law as coined by A. V. Dicey. It states that everyone people, government and different establishments ought to adapt and be ruled by law and not by any whimsical action by a personal or cluster of people. no matter be the rank or position of an individual, he ought to come back below the jurisdiction of normal courts and not of any special courts. It additionally states that governmental choices ought to be supported legal and ethical principles embedded within the supreme law, within the case of Asian country, the Indian Constitution.
The Dicey theory gave three pillars and these are-
. Supremacy of law
. Equality before law
. The Predominance of legal spirit
Supremacy of law
There ought to be associate absence of absolute power which not a soul ought to be admonished apart from a breach of law. associate offense ought to be tested by the authorities of the country before the normal courts to penalize him in keeping with legal procedure.
Equality before law
All people, no matter their rank or position (poor or made, officers or non-officials, etc.) ought to be subjected to standard law of land that is run by standard courts. It seeks to confirm that law is run and enforced in an exceedingly simply and honest manner. it’s additionally been embedded in the Preamble and Article seven of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It implies ‘law offers equal justice to all’.
The Predominance of legal spirit
Dicey believed that there ought to be Associate in Nursing implementing authority to enforce effectively the higher than 2 principles. consistent with him, such implementing authority ought to be ‘courts’ .
(ARTICLE 15) Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, caste, race, sex or place of birth
‘The State shall not discriminate against any subject on grounds solely of faith, race, caste,
sex, place of birth or any of them.’ As per article 15(1) It is accessible against State
Protection below this provision are often taken by any subject once he’s subjected to discrimination in relevancy any rights, liabilities or privileges given thereto by the constitution.
As in the case of Nain Sukh Das Vs State of UP
Supreme Court quashed a State law that approved elections on the idea of separate electorates for members of various non secular communities per se discrimination was supported faith.
A explanation for action is offered only if such discrimination is on the preceding grounds, and once discrimination isn’t supported the on top of mentioned ground, the law is taken into account to be valid.
. ‘No national shall, on grounds solely of faith, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them, be subject to any incapacity, liability, restriction or condition with regard to- (a) access to retailers, public restaurants, hotels and palaces of public entertainment; or (b) the utilization of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, roads and places of public resort maintained all or partially out of State funds or dedicated to the utilization of the final public.’ As per article 15(2)
Similarly in case of
RC Poudyal VS Union of India
The court upheld the reservation of 1 seat in State general assembly in favour of Sangha competitive that it’s not simply a spiritual community however additionally a cultural and historical community. it had been declared that it had been the impact and operation of the law that is very important to seek out out if there square measure any grounds of discrimination instead of its purpose or motive.
. ‘Nothing during this article shall forestall the State from creating any special provision for ladies and youngsters.’
It implies that the Parliament has the correct to form special provision. This article is associate exception to the rule against discrimination.
The intention of the framers of the constitution was to guard the interests of youngsters and ladies as a result of these sections were thought of relatively weaker sections of the society and therefore the want for such provision was felt for his or her upliftment. [As per Article 15(3)]
Similarly in case of
Rajesh Kumar Gupta VS State of U.P
In the choice of grade school lecturers, reservations of up to fifty p.c for ladies was upheld by the court. Reservation- Widest doable interpretation ought to lean to those provisions for the upliftment of ladies and youngsters, as long as such reservation doesn’t exceed fifty p.c of the whole.
(ARTICLE16) Equality of opportunity in matters of public employment
‘Nothing during this article shall forestall the State from creating any special There shall be equality of chance for all voters in matters concerning employment or appointment to any workplace below the State
- No national shall, on grounds solely of faith, race, caste, sex, descent, place of birth, residence or any of them, be ineligible for, or discriminated against in respect or, any employment or workplace below the State
- Nothing during this article shall forestall Parliament from creating any law prescribing, in reference to a category or categories of employment or appointment to associate workplace below the govt of, or any native or different authority at intervals, a State or Union territory, any demand on residence at intervals that State or Union territory before such employment or appointment
- Nothing during this article shall forestall the State from creating any provision for the reservation of appointments or posts in favour of any backward category of voters that, within the opinion of the State, isn’t adequately depicted within the services below the State
- Nothing during this article shall {affect|have associate effect on} the operation of any law that provides that the incumbent of an workplace in reference to the affairs of any spiritual or denominational establishment or any member of the governance therefrom shall be an individual affirmation a selected faith or happiness to a selected denominationl provision for girls and ’1
(ARTICLE17) Abolition of Untouchability
“Untouchability” is abolished and its apply in any kind is impermissible. The social control of associate degreey incapacity arising out of “Untouchability” shall be an offense punishable in accordance with the law.’ The word “untouchability” during this clause has been employed in inverted commas that indicates that word shouldn’t be construed in an exceedingly literal or grammatical sense however with relevance its historical background within the country.
Under Art. thirty five of the constitution, Parliament has been given the facility to form laws prohibiting such acts of untouchability.
In 1955- Untouchability (Offences) Act’1955
(punishments underneath the act were felt inadequate)
In 1965, Committee on Untouchability, Economic and academic Development of SCs (to suggest amendments to gift Act)
In 1976, Act was amended and renamed as “Protection of Civil Rights Act1955”. (‘Civil Rights’ were outlined within the act as any right accruing to an individual by reason of abolishment of untouchability underneath Art.17.)
(ARTICLE18) Abolition of titles
‘(1)No title, not being a military or instructional distinction, shall be given by the State.
- No national of Republic of Republic of India shall accept any title from any foreign
- No one that may not a national of Republic of Republic of India shall, whereas he holds any geographical point of profit or trust beneath the State.
- No person holding any geographical point of profit or trust beneath the State shall, whereas not the consent of the President, accept any gift, emolument, or geographical point of any kind from or beneath any foreign ’
In case of
Balaji Raghavan VS UNION OF INDIA
The constitutional validity of 4 awards introduced by Government of Asian nation that area unit, Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri was challenged before the court. SC upheld the constitutional validity of those award stating that such
awards don’t violate the provisions of Art. eighteen as they are doing not return underneath the extent of titles. It control they may not be supplementary as a prefix or suffix to the names of the awardees.
Conclusion
The right to equality is taken into account basic feature of the Indian Constitution and plays a vital role in achieving social and economic justice in our society wherever upliftment of sure categories is taken into account necessary for our country to flourish. Its stress on the basic unity of people by providing equal opportunities and treatment to any or all. All different privileges and liberties follow from the correct to equality. It provides each individual of the country with all the weather essential for the event of its temperament. Thus, courts that are thought-about the guardians of the Constitution ensure that the correct to equality is construed in widest connotation.