Right to Equality
The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India.
Article 14 guarantees that every person in India is equal before the law. This means no one is above the law, and all individuals are subject to the same legal treatment. The 'equal protection of laws' ensures that similar situations are treated similarly, preventing arbitrary discrimination by the state.
Landmark Supreme Court Cases
Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala
1973Established the basic structure doctrine, ruling that Article 14 is part of the basic structure of the Constitution and cannot be amended.
Impact: Laid down that equality is a fundamental feature of the Constitution that Parliament cannot destroy even through constitutional amendments.
E.P. Royappa v. State of Tamil Nadu
1974Introduced the concept of 'arbitrariness' as the antithesis of equality under Article 14.
Impact: Expanded the scope of Article 14 beyond mere classification to include protection against arbitrary state action.