Which one of the following statements is correct in respect of Art. 21 of Indian Constitution?
1. It guarantees Right to Life and Personal Liberty
2. In the case of Narmada Bachao Andolan Vs Union of India 2020, Supreme Court held that ‘Right to Water’ is not a Fundamental Right but Legal Right
3. Right to Water is inferred from the Right to Life
4. The Supreme Court also held that access to Clear Water is a Natural Right

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

OPSC OAS 2023 Prelims (General Studies) Official Paper-I

Answer 1

The Correct answer is Option 1.

Key Points

It guarantees Right to Life and Personal Liberty (1): This statement is correct. Article 21 of the Indian Constitution explicitly guarantees the right to life and personal liberty to every individual.
In the case of Narmada Bachao Andolan Vs Union of India 2020, Supreme Court held that ‘Right to Water’ is not a Fundamental Right but a Legal Right (2): This statement is correct. The Supreme Court ruled that while the 'Right to Water' is essential for life, it is not a fundamental right but can be recognized as a legal right under various laws.
Right to Water is inferred from the Right to Life (3): This statement is correct. The Supreme Court has inferred the 'Right to Water' as an essential part of the 'Right to Life' under Article 21, which supports the notion that access to water is necessary for a dignified life.
The Supreme Court also held that access to Clear Water is a Natural Right (4): This statement is incorrect. While the Supreme Court recognizes the importance of clean water for life, it does not classify access to clear water as a "natural right" in the same sense as fundamental rights.
The correct statements regarding Article 21 of the Indian Constitution are 1 and 3. Thus, the correct answer is Option 1: 1 and 3.