How is Article 17 enforced?

Asked by: Prof. Donna DuBuque  |  Last update: June 23, 2026
Score: 4.5/5 (66 votes)

Article 17 of the Indian Constitution, which abolishes "untouchability" and forbids its practice in any form, is enforced through specific legislation enacted by Parliament, primarily the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 (previously the Untouchability Offences Act) and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

What are the rules of Article 17?

Article 17. Abolition of Untouchability. -"Untouchability" is abolished and its practice in any form is forbidden. The enforcement of any disability arising out of "Untouchability" shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law.

What are the key points of Article 17?

Every person with disabilities has a right to respect for his or her physical and mental integrity on an equal basis with others.

Which social system did Article 17 abolish?

Editorial Comment - The Indian Constitution, specifically Article 17, has abolished the practice of untouchability in all its forms. This article explicitly declares the prohibition of untouchability.

How does Article 17 protect citizens?

Article 17 protects everyone from arbitrary or unlawful interferences with their “privacy, family, home or correspondence” from state intrusion. The ACLU urges the Human Rights Committee to issue a new interpretation of Article 17 that fully protects the privacy of everyone from governments everywhere.

Article 17 Indian Constitution: Abolition of Untouchability

15 related questions found

Does Article 17 impact freedom of speech?

Applying Article 17 to cases involving speech can have a chilling effect to one of the fundamental freedoms of a democratic society, that of freedom of expression. When Article 17 is relied on, issues such as legitimacy, necessity and proportionality are not considered by the Court.

What do Article 17 and 18 provide?

Article 17 abolishes untouchability and Article 18 abolishes titles.

What is the Article 17 statement of reasons?

Specifically, Article 17 of the DSA requires online platforms to provide “a clear and specific statement of reasons” each time they remove or restrict content that is illegal or violates a platform's terms of service.

What is the 17th article of the Constitution?

Answer: Article 17 of the Indian Constitution abolished 'untouchability', forbade its practice in any form and made enforcement of any disability arising out of 'untouchability', an offence punishable in accordance with law.

What is the right to be forgotten Article 17?

What is the right to erasure? Under Article 17 of the UK GDPR individuals have the right to have personal data erased. This is also known as the 'right to be forgotten'. The right only applies to data held at the time the request is received.

What laws abolished untouchability?

Article 17 of the Constitution of India has abolished the practice of untouchability; its practice in any form is forbidden and is an offence punishable in accordance with law.

What is the Article 17 of the Second Amendment?

Article XVII. That the people have a right to bear arms, for the defence of the State; and, as standing armies, in time of peace, are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept up; and that the military should be kept under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power.

What impact did the 17th Amendment have on society?

Ratified in 1913, the 17th Amendment shifted U.S. Senate elections from state legislative appointment to direct popular vote, democratizing the chamber and reducing corruption associated with "smoke-filled rooms". It aimed to make senators more responsive to voters, but weakened the structural power of state governments within the federal system.

What is article 17 of human rights?

Article 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) guarantees the right to own property, individually or with others, and protects against arbitrary deprivation of property. Adopted in 1948, it ensures individuals cannot have their assets taken away without just cause, reflecting a response to wartime confiscations.

What are the 17 protected grounds?

The Ontario Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination in areas like employment and housing based on 17 grounds, which include race, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, and family status.

What is the use of Article 17?

Article 17 of Indian Constitution abolishes untouchability, bans caste-based discrimination, makes its practice punishable, and upholds equality and social justice. Article 17 of Indian Constitution, under Part III (Fundamental Rights), is a key provision addressing the historic social injustice of untouchability.

What is the Article 17 of the Human rights Act?

Article 17 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which is incorporated into UK law via the Human Rights Act 1998, prohibits the "abuse of rights." It ensures that no person, group, or state can use the Convention to destroy or unduly limit the rights and freedoms of others.

Can I legally say whatever I want?

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the freedom of speech, religion and the press. It also protects the freedom to peacefully assemble or gather together or associate with a group of people for social, economic, political or religious purposes, as well as the right to protest the government.

What are the consequences of a censure?

Censure is a formal, public reprimand adopted by a legislative body (like the U.S. House or Senate) to officially condemn a member, president, or official for misconduct. While it does not remove the person from office, it acts as a severe punishment that causes significant reputational damage, highlights improper behavior, and can lead to the loss of committee assignments.

What is article 17 of our Constitution?

Article 17 of the Indian Constitution abolishes "untouchability" and forbids its practice in any form, declaring the enforcement of any disability arising from it a punishable offense. As a core fundamental right, it targets caste-based discrimination and promotes social equality, implemented legally through the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955.

What are criticisms of Article 17?

Critics of Article 17 argue that reliance on upload filters could lead to excessive blocking of content (as legitimate content also risks being blocked in practice) and restricts the freedom of expression of platform users.

What was the goal of the 17 article Constitution?

The emphasis of the document is not so much on the basic laws by which the state was to be governed, such as one may expect from a modern constitution, but rather it was a highly Buddhist and Confucian document that focused on the morals and virtues that were to be expected of government officials and the emperor's ...

What is the Article 17 Amendment?

Article 17 of the Constitution prohibits the abolition of untouchability as well as its observance or conduct in any form. It also declares untouchability a punishable offense. For the abolition of untouchability, Parliament passed the Untouchability (Offenses) Act 1955 and amended it in 1976.

What is Section 17 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006?

—(1) A person who makes a statement to a member of the Garda Síochána during the investigation of an arrestable offence (not being a person who is at that time suspected by any such member of having committed it) may make a statutory declaration that the statement is true to the best of the person's knowledge and ...

What is the s17 public order?

(1)A constable may not exercise a police power for the sole purpose of preventing a person from observing or reporting on a protest. (c)activities related to a protest. (3)This section does not affect the exercise by a constable of a police power for any purpose for which it may be exercised apart from this section.