Correct Answer - Option 3 : Article 17
Article 17 of the Indian Constitution eliminates the practice of untouchability. The Untouchability (Offences) Act, 1955 addresses this practice as a punishable offence. It also commands penalties for the enforcement of any kind of disability that is arising out of untouchability is considered an offence.
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 the law.
- Untouchability is neither defined in the Constitution nor in the Act.
- It refers to a social practice that looks down upon certain depressed classes solely on account of their birth and makes any discrimination against them on this ground.
- In 1976, it was made more stringent and was renamed ‘The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955.
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It defines ‘Civil Right’ as ‘any right accruing to a person by reason of the abolition of untouchability by Article 17 of the Constitution.’
- All offences under the Act have been made non-compoundable.
- The Act prescribes punishment (1-2 years imprisonment) for preventing any person from entering any place of public worship or from worshipping or denying access to any shop, public restaurants, hotels, or places of public entertainment or refusing to admit persons to hospitals and refusing to sell goods or render services to any person.
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Also, insulting a member of Scheduled Caste on the ground of untouchability or preaching untouchability or justifying it on historical, philosophical, religious, or other grounds is a crime.
Hence, the correct answer is Article 17.
Lets' look at some other important articles of our constitution:
- Article 15 provides that the State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth.
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Article 16:
- This article of the Indian Constitution guarantees equal opportunity to all citizens in matters related to employment in the public sector.
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Article 16(1) states that there shall be equal opportunity for the citizens in the matter of employment or appointment to any office under the State.
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No citizen shall, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, descent, place of birth, residence, or any of them, be ineligible for, or discriminated against in respect of, any employment or office under the State.
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Article 18:
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This article abolishes all Titles.
- It prohibits the State to confer titles on anybody whether a citizen or a non-citizen.
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No person holding any office of profit or trust under the State shall, without the consent of the President, accept any present, office of any kind from or under any foreign State.
