Jou nal o Resea ch and De elopmen
A Mul idisciplina y In e na ional Le el Re e ed and Double Blind Pee Re iewed, Open Access
ISSN : 2230-9578 | Websi e: h ps://j d b.o g Volume-17, Issue-9(V)| Sep embe 2025
110
In eg a ion and expansion o Human igh s unde he cons i u ion o India
du ing he jou ney o 75 yea s Tejaswini Vi ek Sabale1, A jun Sachin Bha ad 2
1Assis an P o esso , Bha a i Vidyapee h’s Yashwan ao Cha an Law College, Ka ad
2S uden - LL.M. II, Bha a i Vidyapee h’s Yashwan ao Cha an Law College, Ka ad
Manusc ip ID:
JRD -2025-170927
ISSN: 2230-9578
Volume 17
Issue 9 (V)
Pp. 110-113
Sep . 2025
Submi ed:15 Aug. 2025
Re ised: 25 Aug. 2025
Accep ed: 10 Sep . 2025
Published: 30 Sep . 2025
Abs ac
The Indian Cons i u ion ep esen s a signi ican blend o ideals o jus ice, libe y, equali y, and
a e ni y. A i s hea lies he p o ec ion and p omo ion o human igh s, which a e uni e sally ecognized
as inhe en , inalienable, and indispensable o a digni ied exis ence o e e y human being. The
Cons i u ion, h ough Fundamen al Righ s, in eg a es hese human igh s in o he legal and poli ical ab ic
o he na ion. Howe e , hese igh s ha e no emained s a ic bu lexible and expandable one. O e he
las se en y- i e yea s, Indian cou s, pa icula ly he Sup eme Cou , ha e expanded he ambi o hese
igh s h ough p og essi e in e p e a ion, judicial ac i ism, and pu posi e cons uc ion, ensu ing ha he
Cons i u ion emains a li ing documen .This a icle aces he in eg a ion o human igh s in he
Cons i u ion, hei expansion h ough judicial in e p e a ion, he impac o in e na ional ins umen s like
he UN Cha e and UDHR, and he ole o cons i u ional amendmen s in s eng hening human igh s. The
pape also analyses landma k judgmen s such as Maneka Gandhi . Union o India and Jus ice K.S.
Pu aswamy . Union o India, which ha e e olu ionized he unde s anding o A icle 21, making i he
co ne s one o human igh s ju isp udence in India. By e isi ing he Cons i uen Assembly deba es and
signi ican his o ical miles ones, his a icle seeks o illus a e he jou ney o human igh s in India o e
he pas se en y- i e yea s.
Keywo ds: Indian Cons i u ion, Human Righ s, Fundamen al Righ s, Di ec i e P inciples, Judicial
Ac i ism, A icle 21, Public In e es Li iga ion (PIL), Cons i u ional Amendmen s, Basic S uc u e
Doc ine
In oduc ion:
Human igh s a e he quin essence o democ a ic go e nance and he ounda ion o
cons i u ionalism. They a e he basic eedoms and en i lemen s inhe en in e e y indi idual by
i ue o being human. The signi icance o human igh s lies in hei uni e sali y and
inalienabili y. In India, he concep o human igh s ound exp ession du ing he eedom
s uggle, whe e demands o ci il libe ies and undamen al eedoms we e cen al o na ionalis
aspi a ions. The ame s o he Cons i u ion, inspi ed by global de elopmen s and he mo al
impe a i es o independence, sough o ensh ine hese igh s in he cons i u ional ex .
As D . B.R. Ambedka obse ed du ing he Cons i uen Assembly Deba es:
"The pu pose o he Cons i u ion is no me ely o c ea e he o gans o he S a e, bu
also o limi hei au ho i y and o p o ec he libe y o ci izens." When he Cons i u ion came
in o o ce on 26 Janua y 1950, i ga e India one o he mos comp ehensi e schemes o
Fundamen al Righ s unde Pa III. This amewo k aimed o secu e indi idual libe y, social
jus ice, and equali y be o e law. Howe e , o e he decades, he in e p e a ion o hese
p o isions has e ol ed signi ican ly, expanding hei ambi o include socio-economic and
en i onmen al igh s. The Sup eme Cou has played a pi o al ole in his jou ney, adop ing a
dynamic and pu posi e app oach o cons i u ional in e p e a ion.
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Add ess o co espondence:
Tejaswini Vi ek Sabale, Assis an P o esso , Bha a i Vidyapee h’s Yashwan ao Cha an Law College,
Ka ad
How o ci e his a icle:
T. V. Sabale, A. S. Bha ad. (2025).In eg a ion and expansion o Human igh s unde he
cons i u ion o India du ing he jou ney o 75 yea s. Jou nal o Resea ch & De elopmen , 17(9),
110-113
O iginal A icle
Jou nal o Resea ch and De elopmen
A Mul idisciplina y In e na ional Le el Re e ed and Double Blind Pee Re iewed, Open Access
ISSN : 2230-9578 | Websi e: h ps://j d b.o g Volume-17, Issue-9(V)| Sep embe 2025
111
Beginning wi h a igid ex ualis iew in A.K. Gopalan . S a e o Mad as, he Cou mo ed owa ds an
expansi e eading in Maneka Gandhi .Union o India, inco po a ing p inciples o ai ness, easonableness, and due
p ocess. Today, A icle 21 encompasses se e al human igh s such as igh o p i acy, igh o clean en i onmen , igh
o educa ion, and igh o heal h. This e olu ion e lec s he adap abili y o he Indian Cons i u ion o changing socie al
needs and global human igh s s anda ds.
Objec i es o he Pape : -
The p esen a icle aims o achie e ce ain objec i es. They a e as unde ,
To ace he his o ical de elopmen and expansion o human igh s
To analyze he ounda ional in eg a ion o human igh s wi hin he Cons i u ion o India
To s udy he cons i u ional p o isions ela ed o human igh s
To s udy he ole o he Indian judicia y in he expansion and in e p e a ion o human igh s
To s udy ce ain cons i u ional amendmen s ha ha e no only in eg a ed bu expanded he human igh s unde he
cons i u ional scheme
Impo ance o Human Righ s and hei in eg a ion unde he Cons i u ion o India – his o ical o e iew
The impo ance o human igh s in a cons i u ional democ acy like India canno be o e s a ed. These igh s ac
as a bulwa k agains a bi a y powe and ensu e ha e e y indi idual enjoys digni y, eedom, and equali y. The
in eg a ion o human igh s in o he Indian Cons i u ion was a delibe a e choice by he ame s, d i en by his o ical
expe ience and he ideals o jus ice and ai ness.The colonial pe iod wi nessed se e e iola ions o ci il libe ies, wi h
laws like he Rowla Ac (1919) cu ailing eedom o speech and assembly. The expe ience o ep ession du ing
colonial ule unde sco ed he necessi y o cons i u ional sa egua ds. In 1928, he Neh u Repo demanded a Bill o
Righ s o Indians, and la e , he Sap u Commi ee (1945) ecommended he inclusion o Fundamen al Righ s in he
u u e Cons i u ion. These de elopmen s culmina ed in he adop ion o Pa III o he Cons i u ion.Thus, he in eg a ion
o human igh s in o he Indian Cons i u ion e lec s a commi men o cons i u ional mo ali y, democ a ic go e nance,
and he ule o law, o ming he bed ock o India’s legal and poli ical o de .D . B.R. Ambedka s a ed du ing he
deba es ha he Cons i u ion mus no only es ablish he machine y o go e nmen bu also gua an ee he igh s o
ci izens agains possible misuse o powe . This shows ha he in en ion was o c ea e a sys em whe e he S a e would
be limi ed by law in i s dealings wi h indi iduals, hus p o ec ing hei eedoms.This in eg a ion o human igh s wi hin
he cons i u ional amewo k ensu es hei legal sanc i y and p o ides ci izens wi h a mechanism o
ed essal.Mo eo e , he Cons i u ion adop s a comp ehensi e app oach, combining ci il and poli ical igh s (Pa III)
wi h Di ec i e P inciples o S a e Policy (Pa IV), which aim o secu e socio-economic jus ice. While he Di ec i e
P inciples a e non-jus iciable, hey guide he S a e in p omo ing wel a e policies and ha e been ins umen al in he
judicial expansion o igh s unde A icle 21.
In eg a ion o Human Righ s unde he Cons i u ion
The P eamble o he Cons i u ion, which gua an ees Jus ice – social, economic, and poli ical; Libe y – o
hough , exp ession, belie , ai h, and wo ship; Equali y – o s a us and oppo uni y; and F a e ni y – assu ing he
digni y o he indi idual, encapsula es he essence o human igh s. The inclusion o hese ideals in he P eamble
unde sco es he ame s’ ision o a jus and humane socie y.Toge he , hey e lec he philosophy o a wel a e s a e
commi ed o human digni y.
Fundamen al Righ s, as con ained in A icles 12 o 35, secu e a ange o human igh s:
1. Righ o Equali y (A icles 14-18)
2. Righ o F eedom (A icles 19-22)
3. Righ agains Exploi a ion (A icles 23-24)
4. Righ o F eedom o Religion (A icles 25-28)
5. Cul u al and Educa ional Righ s (A icles 29-30)
6. Righ o Cons i u ional Remedies (A icle 32)
7. The ame s ensu ed ha hese igh s we e comp ehensi e, co e ing ci il libe ies such as eedom o speech,
pe sonal libe y, and equali y be o e he law, which a e essen ial o a democ a ic socie y.This scheme was inspi ed
by in e na ional ins umen s like he UDHR (1948) and he Ame ican Bill o Righ s, ensu ing ha human igh s
enjoy cons i u ional p o ec ion in India.
Pa IV: Di ec i e P inciples o S a e Policy – The Social Dimension o Righ s –
The Indian Cons i u ion in eg a es human igh s p ima ily h ough Pa III (Fundamen al Righ s) and Pa IV
(Di ec i e P inciples o S a e Policy). While Fundamen al Righ s ensu e indi idual libe ies, Di ec i e P inciples aim a
achie ing socio-economic jus ice. These p inciples a e no legally en o ceable, bu hey p o ide impo an guidance o
he S a e in o mula ing policies.
Jou nal o Resea ch and De elopmen
A Mul idisciplina y In e na ional Le el Re e ed and Double Blind Pee Re iewed, Open Access
ISSN : 2230-9578 | Websi e: h ps://j d b.o g Volume-17, Issue-9(V)| Sep embe 2025
112
Expansion o Human Righ s du ing 75 Yea s – Judicial De elopmen s
The expansion o human igh s in India o e he pas se en y- i e yea s has been one o he mos dynamic aspec s
o i s cons i u ional ju isp udence. While he ame s o he Cons i u ion p o ided an elabo a e amewo k o
Fundamen al Righ s in Pa III, hey could no o esee e e y challenge ha a mode n socie y would encoun e .I was,
he e o e, he judicia y ha ose o he occasion by adop ing an expansi e in e p e a ion o hese igh s, ensu ing ha
he Cons i u ion emains a li ing and adap able documen . This judicial c ea i i y has led o he ecogni ion o new
igh s unde he b oad language o exis ing cons i u ional p o isions, pa icula ly A icles 14, 19, and 21. A icle 21 o
he Cons i u ion, which gua an ees ha “No pe son shall be dep i ed o his li e o pe sonal libe y excep acco ding o
p ocedu e es ablished by law,” has eme ged as he mos signi ican p o ision in he ealm o human igh s. Ini ially, he
in e p e a ion o his A icle was na ow, as seen in A.K. Gopalan . S a e o Mad as (1950). This app oach changed
wi h he landma k judgmen in Maneka Gandhi . Union o India (1978), whe e he Cou held ha he p ocedu e unde
A icle 21 mus be “jus , ai , and easonable” and no a bi a y o opp essi e.
Pos -Maneka Gandhi, A icle 21 became a ese oi o nume ous igh s, including:
1. Righ o li e wi h human digni y (F ancis Co alie Mullin . Adminis a o , Union Te i o y o Delhi, 1981)
2. Righ o li elihood (Olga Tellis . Bombay Municipal Co po a ion, 1985)
3. Righ o educa ion (Mohini Jain . S a e o Ka na aka, 1992; Unnik ishnan . S a e o Andh a P adesh, 1993)
4. Righ o p i acy (Jus ice K.S. Pu aswamy . Union o India, 2017)
5. Righ o clean en i onmen (Subhash Kuma . S a e o Biha , 1991)
6. Th ough hese judgmen s, he judicia y has ans o med A icle 21 in o he oun ainhead o human igh s, ensu ing
ha he igh o li e encompasses all ace s necessa y o a digni ied exis ence.
En i onmen al Righ s and he Righ o a Heal hy En i onmen
The wa e shed case o M.C. Meh a . Union o India (1986) laid he ounda ion o en i onmen al
ju isp udence in India. The Cou , while dealing wi h he issue o indus ial pollu ion, held ha he igh o li e includes
he igh o a wholesome en i onmen
Digi al P i acy and he Righ o In o ma ional Sel -De e mina ion
The landma k judgmen in Jus ice K.S. Pu aswamy . Union o India (2017) ma ked a u ning poin in Indian
cons i u ional law by decla ing he igh o p i acy as a undamen al igh unde A icle 21.
Gende Jus ice and P o ec ion o Women’s Righ s
One o he ea lies landma k decisions was Vishaka . S a e o Rajas han (1997), whe e he Sup eme Cou
laid down comp ehensi e guidelines o add ess sexual ha assmen a he wo kplace in he absence o legisla i e
measu es. These guidelines, popula ly known as he Vishaka Guidelines, we e la e codi ied in he Sexual Ha assmen
o Women a Wo kplace (P e en ion, P ohibi ion and Red essal) Ac , 2013.
LGBTQ+ Righ s and he Recogni ion o Sexual Mino i ies
The eal b eak h ough came in Na ej Singh Joha . Union o India (2018), whe e a i e-judge Bench o he
Sup eme Cou unanimously s uck down he colonial-e a p o ision o he ex en ha i c iminalized consensual sexual
ela ions be ween adul s o he same sex. The Cou held ha sexual o ien a ion is an in insic pa o pe sonal iden i y
and digni y, and i s c iminaliza ion iola es he undamen al igh s o equali y, non-disc imina ion, and p i acy.
Expansion h ough Cons i u ional Amendmen s –
Fi s Amendmen (1951) – Reasonable Res ic ions unde A icle 19 -
This amendmen was seen as a balancing mechanism be ween indi idual libe y and socie al in e es s. While
c i icized o cu bing ee speech, i ensu ed ha igh s we e no misused o des abilize democ acy.
Thus, i ma ked he i s majo s ep in econciling eedom wi h cons i u ional o de .
Twen y-Fou h Amendmen (1971) – Pa liamen ’s Powe o Amend Fundamen al Righ s –
The 24 h Amendmen cla i ied ha Pa liamen has he explici powe o amend any pa o he Cons i u ion,
including Fundamen al Righ s. This was a esponse o he Sup eme Cou ’s es ic i e in e p e a ion in Golakna h .
S a e o Punjab (1967), which held ha Pa liamen could no amend Pa III.
Se en y-Thi d Amendmen (1992) – Panchaya i Raj and G ass oo s Democ acy –
The 73 d Amendmen in oduced Pa IX o he Cons i u ion, gi ing cons i u ional s a us o Panchaya i Raj
Ins i u ions (PRIs). This amendmen ensu ed pa icipa o y democ acy a he g ass oo s le el, empowe ing ci izens o
di ec ly in luence go e nance and de elopmen . By ins i u ionalizing local sel -go e nmen , i p omo ed social jus ice,
gende equali y, and inclusi eness.
Eigh y-Six h Amendmen (2002) – Righ o Educa ion (A icle 21A) –
This amendmen inse ed A icle 21A, making ee and compulso y educa ion a undamen al igh o child en
aged 6 o 14 yea s. I ans o med he Di ec i e P inciple unde A icle 45 in o an en o ceable igh , ecognizing
educa ion as he ounda ion o human de elopmen and social empowe men .
Jou nal o Resea ch and De elopmen
A Mul idisciplina y In e na ional Le el Re e ed and Double Blind Pee Re iewed, Open Access
ISSN : 2230-9578 | Websi e: h ps://j d b.o g Volume-17, Issue-9(V)| Sep embe 2025
113
One Hund ed and Second Amendmen (2018) – OBC Commission Cons i u ional S a us –
The 102nd Amendmen g an ed cons i u ional s a us o he Na ional Commission o Backwa d Classes
(NCBC) by inse ing A icle 338B. I aimed o p o ide g ea e au ho i y and independence o he Commission in
sa egua ding he igh s o socially and educa ionally backwa d classes. This amendmen also in oduced A icle 342A,
gi ing he P esiden he powe o no i y OBC lis s o s a es and he union.
Conclusion:
The se en y- i e-yea jou ney o he Indian Cons i u ion e lec s an ex ao dina y ans o ma ion in he ealm o
human igh s. F om he ini ial amewo k o Fundamen al Righ s o he expansi e ju isp udence o oday, India has
wi nessed a con inuous e olu ion d i en by judicial c ea i i y, legisla i e e o ms, and in e na ional in luence. The
Cons i u ion has p o ed o be a li ing documen , adap ing o socie al changes while sa egua ding he co e alues o
libe y, equali y, and digni y. As India en e s he digi al age, new challenges such as da a p i acy, AI e hics, and cybe
secu i y demand u he expansion o human igh s. The u u e o Indian democ acy lies in ensu ing ha hese igh s
emain meaning ul, en o ceable, and inclusi e o e e y ci izen.
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