Fundamental Rights

Safety to life and property of citizens is state's responsibility: SC

The Supreme Court has said that it is the bounden duty of any State to ensure that the lives and properties of its citizens and other persons are at all times protected. It said that every attempt which succeeds at the hands of anyone "whereby the efficacy of criminal law is diluted, will remove the very edifice of the rule of law fatally". A bench of Justices K M Joseph and B V Nagarathna made these observations while deciding a petition seeking to transfer a criminal case pending before a Jhajjar court in Haryana to a court in Delhi. The transfer petition has been filed by 38 people of Jhajjar, whose properties were allegedly vandalized during 2016 agitation by members of the Jat community who were seeking reservation in government jobs and educational institutions. It is the case of the petitioners that during this agitation, the members of Jat community vandalized and committed acts of arson which allegedly caused huge irreparable damage to them by setting their houses, godowns

J-K can't develop until democratic rights are guaranteed: Farooq Abdullah

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has said the idea of all-round development of the people of Jammu and Kashmir will remain elusive until their basic democratic rights are guaranteed and respected. Abdullah said human rights are indispensable and inherent to the dignity of every human being. "The ruling dispensation is using J-K to climb the political ladder nationally by employing a narrative that is not corroborated by ground realities," said the Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar in his message on International Human Rights Day. Far from providing jobs to the youth, the incumbent ruling dispensation at the Centre, which is in direct control of J-K's affairs, has shown the door to hundreds of employed youth, Abdullah alleged. "There is not even a single selection process that hasn't ended in a scam. Our government employees are working under tremendous pressure. The sweeping takeover of labour rights by this government is a major concern for all of us. This trend needs to be

Right to freedom of religion not fundamental right to convert: Centre to SC

The Centre told the Supreme Court that the right to freedom of religion does not include a fundamental right to convert people to a particular religion.

Protection of citizens' Constitutional rights a must: Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar while speaking on the amendments to the IT intermediary Rules 2021 said protection of Constitutional rights of Indian citizens is a must

Supreme Court rejects plea seeking declaration of cow as national animal

'It is not the job of the court to decide on such matters,' the SC bench commented while enquiring which fundamental right of the petitioner was affected

Every prisoner has right to apply for bail; access legal aid: Allahabad HC

The Allahabad High Court has said that every prisoner has a fundamental right to file the bail application without delay

Right to contest election neither fundamental nor common law right, says SC

The right to contest an election is neither a fundamental right nor a common law right, the Supreme Court has said while dismissing with a cost of Rs one lakh a petition which raised the issue regarding the filing of nomination for Rajya Sabha elections. Observing that an individual cannot claim that he has a right to contest an election, the apex court noted that the Representation of People Act, 1950, read with the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, has contemplated the name of a candidate has to be proposed while filling the nomination form. A bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia passed the order while hearing a plea challenging the June 10 order of the Delhi High Court which had dismissed a petition about deciding the candidature of the petitioner to file his nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections, 2022. The petitioner had said that a notification for election to Rajya Sabha was issued on May 12, 2022, to fill up the seats of members retiring from June 21, 2022,

New data protection Bill must consider all criticism: Justice Srikrishna

Former judge headed panel that drafted the legislation which the government withdrew yesterday

Power of RTI Act: How, where to use the right to question your govt

What is RTI Act? Indian citizens can seek any information that the government can disclose to the Parliament of India. From application to fees, here's how to use RTI Act to question your government

SC seeks opinion of Centre, states on plea to make sports fundamental right

A bench comprising justices L Nageswara Rao and B R Gavai said states' views were necessary as just passing a judgement would not help the cause

Can't discriminate against son of 2nd wife in compassionate appointment: SC

Familial origins include the validity of the marriage of the parents of a claimant of compassionate appointment and the claimant's legitimacy as their child, the bench said

Hijab row: 'Fundamental rights can't be curbed for public order'

The government can't restrict fundamental rights in the garb of maintaining public order, the counsel for the girl students seeking permission to wear the hijab told the Karnataka High Court on Monday

Focus on fundamental rights makes India stronger, not weaker

Yielding to rights-based politics makes democracy more stable. It furthers its legitimisation with the masses and situates its actions in the context of constitutionality.

WhatsApp doesn't have fundamental rights, can't challenge Indian law: Govt

WhatsApp has said earlier that it will not break its end-to-end encryption as that would undermine the privacy of users

Over 7,800 PILs filed in HCs since 2019 on violation of fundamental rights

Over 7,800 Public Interest Litigations (PILs) regarding the violation of fundamental rights have been filed in various high courts across the country since 2019, according to government data.

Protesters are not terrorists

Delhi High Court raises the bar on UAPA application

Right to protest fundamental, can't call it terrorist act: Delhi HC

Grants bail to JNU student in anti-CAA protests case

We the people

Book review of On Citizenship

Freedom of expression fundamental right in India: UN spokesperson

Following the violence on January 26 in New Delhi, the Noida police booked Tharoor, journalists Rajdeep Sardesai, Mrinal Pande, Vinod K Jose (Caravan) and others for sedition

Access to internet not fundamental right, 4G not necessary: J&K to SC

The administration told the apex court that a very reasonable quantum of restrictions have been imposed by reducing the speed of internet to protect the sovereignty, integrity and security of country