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Polity doubts - UPSC 2015

The following are my doubts:
1. Why is prohibition of practice of untouchability as a fundamental right(art. 17) not applicable to foreigners?
2. In Laxmikant...it says that Kesavananda Bharti caseit says that constitution ammendment can be challanged on the ground that it violates a fundamental right that forms the basic structure of the constitution. So, if the amendment ammeds an act which is part of fundamental rights but not part of basic structure, can it be challenged in the supreme court?
3. What does one mean by funda rights being available against state action? How is it different from those against arbitary actions of the state?
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Comments

  • 1--> Sorry friend , you sure its just available just for citizens . Check your text book again .. You wont find any thing which debars foreigners to avail it .

    2--> Definitely can be challenged .. But hope you know that Basic Structure doctrine is very vague thing . Actually there is not even an official documentation . But based on various SC verdicts , people come to conclusion of certain principles comes under this doctrine . To have a brief , kindly check Laxmikanth's book they got a list of it ..

    3--> Among State actions it got one concept at top , its called State of Emergency [Art.352]. At that same time is should be noted that the Fundamental Rights are not absolute and are subject to reasonable restrictions as necessary for the protection of public interest . Especially Art 19 .

    eg: So you think at the time of Emergency , any fundamental rights except Art 19 was violated you can go and file a case in SC or HC . But for Art 19 it got "freedom to assemble " State can curtail that during Emergency , which you cant file a case against it ..

    What I said is in very crude terms .. Kindly check the text books for more info .

  • What exactly is due process of law with reference to meneka Gandhi case 1978
  • edited January 2015
    Due Process of Law, in simple terms means that a given law must not be arbitrary, unreasonable and unfair. This implies that the law can itself be questioned and not merely what process the law establishes.

    In procedure established by law, justice would lie in following the processes as prescribed by the law. The law itself is however not checked for its arbitrariness or unreasonableness.

    So, in the Maneka Gandhi case, SC undertook a LIBERAL interpretation and not just literal interpretation and declared that right to life is available against both Procedure established by law as well as Due process of law. That is not only should the process be followed but the underlying law must also be fair and reasonable.
  • @Mandark meneka gandhi vs union of india was the case in which SC applied the principle of "due process of law" and also expand the right to life to other rights also .. thanks @ all..
  • edited January 2015
    Off late, there were discussions and talks going on regulation of tv media, of course those debates end with a final suggestion of self regulation. Also we have witnessed, a hell lot of breach of Freedom of expression and instances of sentiments getting hurt. In 2008 Terror attacks in Mumbai, media people were showing the live status of the operations being carried and other related vital information, which the terrorists also had access to the info, nobody was there to regulate (thanks to the lack of maturity of media persons, who more often than not show their enthusiasm at wrong places). Article 19(2) specifies the limitations on freedom of expression, what i wanted to ask is, Can't media be regulated on the the basis of these restrictions? Internal Security finds a place in 19(2) any way. Or these restrictions are there on individuals only? Any way media often defends its freedom of expression with all sorts of bol bacchan and in turn fails miserably in doing their job, (with the extent of corporatization, of course their aim is to make money, bhale hi wo Salman body dikha k q na aa jaye). Can't they be regulated at least in lines with 19(2)?

    Please help. TIA.
  • @Chomuphilosopher definitely they can be regulated on the issue of internal security...if what they are reporting is threatening military operation... but personally i think muffling out media particularly in long operations like 26/11 attacks may prove counter productive..with media silenced the rumours will gain ground and with spread of social media it would be completely difficult to control the rumours then
  • edited January 2015
    I am replying to the first question..
    The law can be challenged if it violates the FR but not the Basic Structure. Example Art 31C which is an exemption to Art 14 and Art 19 but their validity was upheld by SC. But yes for simple understanding the bedrock of non-amendability of the Consti is only limited to Basic Structure which is a judicial innovation and as a concept originated in1973. One can challenge any amendment after or on 24th April 1973 if it violates Basic Structure but not before. Hence the law acquisition laws of 1951 still cannot be challenged
  • edited January 2015
    In the newspaper Article President's comment about Joint Session , weren't there only 3 laws passed by Joint Sitting and secondly isn't joint session being wrongly used here as joint session and sitting are completely different.
  • @Chomuphilosopher

    There is no harm in regulating media if they really threaten the internal security or their reporting proves contrary to the national interest of India.. But the main problem with such strict regulation is that they are likely to be abused by the state/ some section of our polity to cover up or hush up their contradictions....

    Like Japan did in 1960s to protect their corporates in case of "Minamata Disease case".
    As far as 26/11 is concerned it is still very difficult to prove what was going inside the hotel. But what will happen if government prevents media from covering events like 2011 Anna Hazare Andolan in the name of maintaining internal security.....

    Freedom of Speech should have as less restrictions as possible. As the gain in the end outweighs the loss...

  • @Indroop

    I also think that there are 3 laws passed by joint sitting.

    But i don't think there is any difference between joint sitting and joint session...may be in India we use the joint sitting term widely... but both mean the same thing....

    these are very vague terms to restrict it into watertight definitions...... some country would say that joint session is only for deliberations and joint sitting if decision is taken by majority voting....some other country may use the same term for both...
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