explain the five provision given under Right to equality
Answers
The Constitution provides that all citizens are equal before the law. There can be no discrimination based on a citizen’s caste, sex, religious belief or place of birth etc. In matters relating to employment in government service the State can only lay down specific qualifications and requirements but these cannot be discriminatory in nature.
Access to institutions maintained or aided by the State has to be universal. No one can practice untouchably in matters relating to access to places of religious worship or other public places like wells for drinking water.
A number of exceptions have been provided keeping in view that certain sections of our society suffer from handicaps and social disabilities for historical reasons. A number of castes and tribes have been listed as being socially and economically backward.
They are referred to as Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Reservations exist for them in government jobs. A number of other affirmative action’s on the part of government ensure that they catch up with the rest of the society as early as possible. Reservation in government jobs is also extended to certain backward castes.
The need for making exceptions and affirmative action on the part of State can be best appreciated if we have a look at the literacy figures as revealed by the last census. For Kerala the literacy rate in respect of women was 87.86 % while in case of Bihar it was only 33.57%. If the funds for promotion of literacy were to be allocated on the basis of equality, the women in Bihar would stand no chance of being able to compete with those in Kerala even after a decade.
Similar figures can be quoted for employment in high end sectors. It is seen that many communities have a representation that is far below their population percentage. In all such cases equality demands that state puts in more efforts and resources in bringing up the deprived sections of the society.
Right to Equality( Mentioned in Articles 14 to 18)
→This right grants every citizen of the republic of India to get equality before law, get protection by law despite being of any religion, custom, caste, sect, colour, gender, etc.
→This right also prohibits any type of discrimination between two or more individuals or between two or more communities on the grounds as mentioned above in the first paragraph.
→This right grants equal opportunities in every field of life so that every sect, community, etc. gets the chances to develop and advance.
→Practicing untouchability with any sect, gender, religion or on o=any grounds is made and offence punishable by law.
→The titles like, "Rai Bahadur", "Sardar Bahadur", etc. were granted by the British when they were happy by the work of any individual and the people given such titles thought themselves to be of upper class. This right also puts an end to all such titles or any other titles. However, academic and military degrees can still be conferred.