Constitution of India · Section Article 15
Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth
Article 15 — Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth
- Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.—(1) The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them. (2) No citizen shall, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them, be subject to any disability, liability, restriction or condition with regard to—
- (a) access to shops, public restaurants, hotels and places of public entertainment; or
- (b) the use of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, roads and places of public resort maintained wholly or partly out of State funds or dedicated to the use of the general public. (3) Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from making any special provision for women and children. (4) Nothing in this article or in clause (2) of article 29 shall prevent the State from making any special provision for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.] (5) Nothing in this article or in sub-clause (g) of clause (1) of article 19 shall prevent the State from making any special provision, by law, for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes in so far as such special provisions relate to their admission to educational institutions including private educational institutions, whether aided or unaided by the State, other than the minority educational institutions referred to in clause (1) of article 30.] (6) Nothing in this article or sub-clause (g) of clause (1) of article 19 or clause (2) of article 29 shall prevent the State from making,—
- (a) any special provision for the advancement of any economically weaker sections of citizens other than the classes mentioned in clauses (4) and (5); and
- (b) any special provision for the advancement of any economically weaker sections of citizens other than the classes mentioned in clauses (4) and (5) in so far as such special provisions relate to their admission to educational institutions including private educational institutions, whether aided or unaided by the State, other than the minority educational institutions referred to in clause (1) of article 30, which in the case of reservation would be in addition to the existing reservations and subject to a maximum of ten per cent. of the total seats in each category.
Explanation.—For the purposes of this article and article 16, "economically weaker sections" shall be such as may be notified by the State from time to time on the basis of family income and other indicators of economic disadvantage.]
Plain English Summary
This article ensures that the government cannot treat any citizen differently or discriminate against them based on their religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth, or any combination of these factors. It also allows the State to make special provisions for certain groups, like women, children, and socially or educationally backward classes.
Key Points
- The State is prohibited from discriminating against any citizen based on religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth, or any of these grounds.
- Citizens cannot be denied access to public places or services based solely on these personal characteristics.
- The State can make special provisions for the advancement of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and socially/educationally backward classes.
- Special provisions for economically weaker sections are also permitted, provided they do not conflict with other provisions.
Why It Matters
This article is fundamental to ensuring equality and non-discrimination in India, guaranteeing that all citizens are treated equally by the state regardless of their background.
Landmark Judgements
No major landmark judgements.