Article 21 says no person shall be deprived of life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law. It sits in Part III (Fundamental Rights) and protects everyone, not only citizens. Since a 1978 judgment the procedure must be fair, just and reasonable, and the Supreme Court has read in unlisted rights: livelihood, dignity, health, a clean environment and, in 2017, privacy.
Key facts
- Part III (Articles 12 to 35) holds the fundamental rights; the right to property was removed from it by the 44th Amendment in 1978.
- A 1978 judgment required procedures under Article 21 to be just, fair and reasonable.
- A nine-judge bench in August 2017 held unanimously that privacy is part of Article 21.
- Article 21A (2002) guarantees free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14.
- Ambedkar called Article 32, the right to move the Supreme Court, 'the very soul of the Constitution'.
Latest
On 15 October 2026 the Supreme Court (Justices Pardiwala and Chandran) held that the right to access and use the internet is a fundamental right flowing from Article 21 read with the free speech clause, and that children enjoy it too.
Why exams ask about it
New rights read into Article 21 and the cases behind them are asked every year; the pairing with 21A is a standard trap.
Pakka yaad trick
21 is life; 21A is the A for 'ABC', education for children. The letter was added in 2002.