Expanding Meaning of Article 21

Notes

The Supreme Court has read many rights into "life and personal liberty". These are unenumerated rights. Key ones, with the leading case:

Right to livelihood: Olga Tellis v Bombay Municipal Corporation (1985); pavement dwellers cannot be evicted without notice.
Right to health and medical aid: Parmanand Katara (1989); Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity (1996).
Right to clean environment: Subhash Kumar (1991); M.C. Mehta cases; Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum (1996) (precautionary principle, polluter pays). M.K. Ranjitsinh v Union of India (2024) recognised a right against the adverse effects of climate change under Art. 14 and 21.
Right to shelter: Chameli Singh (1996).
Right to education: Mohini Jain (1992), Unni Krishnan (1993).
Right to speedy trial and free legal aid: Hussainara Khatoon (1979); M.H. Hoskot (1978); Khatri v State of Bihar (1981).
Right against handcuffing and solitary confinement: Prem Shankar Shukla (1980); Sunil Batra (1978).
Right against custodial violence: D.K. Basu v State of West Bengal (1997) laid down guidelines for arrest and detention.
Right to food: PUCL v Union of India (2001), mid-day meals.
Right to travel abroad: Satwant Singh Sawhney (1967); Maneka Gandhi (1978) (passport).
Right to privacy: Puttaswamy (2017).
Right to know candidates' antecedents: ADR v Union of India (2002); electoral bonds struck down in ADR (2024).
Right against sexual harassment at the workplace: Vishaka v State of Rajasthan (1997), Vishaka guidelines, later the 2013 Act.
Right to marry a person of choice: Shafin Jahan v Asokan K.M. (2018) (Hadiya case).
Right to reproductive choice: Suchita Srivastava (2009); X v Principal Secretary (2022) extended abortion rights to unmarried women.
Right to sleep: Ramlila Maidan (2012).
Right to die with dignity: Common Cause (2018) (passive euthanasia and living wills).
Right to compensation for unlawful detention: Rudul Sah (1983).
Right against delay in execution: Shatrughan Chauhan (2014).

Judicial approach: Art. 21 is read together with Part IV (DPSPs), especially Art. 39, 41, 42, 47, to give content to "life".

Key Points

Art. 21 includes unenumerated rights: livelihood, health, environment, shelter, privacy, dignity, speedy trial, legal aid.
Olga Tellis: livelihood; D.K. Basu: arrest guidelines; Vishaka: workplace sexual harassment.
Mohini Jain and Unni Krishnan led to Art. 21A.
DPSPs are used to interpret Art. 21.
Right to clean environment includes a right against climate-change harm (M.K. Ranjitsinh, 2024).

MCQs

Q1. Which case recognised the right to livelihood as part of Art. 21?
(a) Olga Tellis v Bombay Municipal Corporation
(b) Vishaka
(c) D.K. Basu
(d) Hussainara Khatoon
Ans: (a). 1985.

Q2. The guidelines on arrest and detention to prevent custodial violence were laid down in:
(a) Prem Shankar Shukla
(b) D.K. Basu v State of West Bengal
(c) Sunil Batra
(d) Rudul Sah
Ans: (b). 1997.

Q3. The Vishaka guidelines relate to:
(a) Environmental protection
(b) Sexual harassment at the workplace
(c) Child labour
(d) Bonded labour
Ans: (b). 1997; later codified in the 2013 Act.