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Table 1 Article 19 of the Indian Constitution and the judicial interpretations

Right to It includes the right to Reasonable Restrictions

(a) freedom of speech and

expression

express views, opinions, belief and

convictions freely by word of

mouth, writing, printing, picturing

or in any other manner.

In the interests of

(a) sovereignty and integrity

of India,

(b) security of the state,

(c) friendly relations with

foreign states,

(d) public order,

(e) decency or morality,

Or in relation to(a) contempt of court,

(b) defamation, and

(c) incitement to an offence.

(b) assemble peaceably and

without arms

hold public meetings,

demonstrations and take out

processions.

This provision does not protect vio-

lent, disorderly, riotous

assemblies, or one that causes

breach of public peace or one that

involves arms. This right does not

include the right to strike.

In the interests of

(a) sovereignty and integrity

of India and

(b) public order including the

maintenance of traffic in the

area concerned.

(c) form associations or unions form political parties, companies,

partnership firms, societies, clubs,

organisations, trade unions or any

body of persons.

In the interests of

(a) sovereignty and integrity

of India,

(b) public order and(c) morality.

(d) move freely throughout the

territory of India

move freely from one state to

another or from one place to

another within a state. The

purpose is to promote national

feeling and not parochialism.

(a) in the interests of general

public and

(b) the protection of interests

of any scheduled tribe.

(e) reside and settle in any part

of the territory of India

to reside in any part of the

country, which means to stay at

any place temporarily, and to

settle in any part of the country,

which means to set up a home or

domicile at any place permanently.

(a) in the interests of general

public and

(b) the protection of interests

of any scheduled tribe.

(f) acquire, hold and dispose of

property

DELETED by the 44th Amendment Act of 1978

(g) practice any profession or

to carry on any occupation,

trade or business

This right does not include the

right to carry on a profession or

business or trade or occupation

that is immoral (trafficking in

women or children) or dangerous

(harmful drugs or explosives, etc,).

The State can absolutely prohibit

these or regulate them through

licencing.

in the interest of the general

public.

Further, the State is em-

powered to:

(i) prescribe professional or

technical qualifications

necessary for practising any

profession or carrying on any

occupation, trade or

business; and

(ii) carry on by itself any

trade, business, industry or

service whether to the exclu-

sion (complete or partial) of

citizens or otherwise.

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Table 2 Writs issued by Supreme Court and high court (Articles 32 and 226)

Writ Literal

Meaning

Detailed Meaning Issued against Cannot be issued

Habeas

Corpus

to have

the body

of

It is an order issued to a

person who has detained

another person, to produce

the body of the latter be-

fore it. Thus, this writ is a

bulwark of individual liberty

against arbitrary detention.

both public

authorities as well as

private individuals.

where the

(a) detention is lawful,

(b) proceeding is for

contempt of a legisla-

ture or a court,

(c) detention is by a

competent court, and

(d) detention isoutside the jurisdiction

of the court.

Mandamus we

command

Command issued asking a

person/body to perform the

official duties that he/it has

failed or refused to

perform.

a public official, any

public body, a

corporation, an

inferior court, a

tribunal or govern-

ment for the same

purpose.

(a) against a private

individual or body;

(b) to enforce

departmental

instruction that does

not possess statutory

force;

(c) when the duty is

discretionary and not

mandatory;

(d) to enforce a

contractual obligation;

(e) against the presi-

dent of India or thestate governors; and

(f) against the chief

justice of a high court

acting in judicial

capacity.

Prohibition to forbid It is issued to a lower court

or tribunal to prevent it

from exceeding its jurisdic-

tion or usurping a

jurisdiction that it does not

possess.

Thus, unlike mandamus

that directs activity, the

prohibition directs

inactivity.

judicial and quasi-

judicial authorities.

against administrative

authorities, legislative

bodies, and private

individuals or bodies.

Certiorari to be

certified

or to be

informed

It is issued to a lower court

or tribunal either to

transfer a case pending

with it to itself or to squash

its order in a case. It is

issued on the grounds of

excess of jurisdiction or

lack of jurisdiction or error

of law.

Thus, unlike prohibition,

which is only preventive,

certiorari is both preventive

as well as curative.

judicial and quasi-

judicial authorities

and since Supreme

Courts ruling in

1991, even against

administrative

authorities.

against legislative

bodies and private in-

dividuals or bodies.

Quo-

Warranto

'by what

authority

orwarrant'

It is issued to enquire into

the legality of claim of a

person to a public office.Hence, it prevents illegal

usurpation of public office

by a person.

Unlike the other four writs,

this can be sought by any

interested person and not

necessarily by the

aggrieved person.

only in case of a

substantive public

office of a permanentcharacter created by

a statute or by the

Constitution.

in cases of ministerial

office or private office.