Right to Walk a Fundamental Right

Current Affair 1:

Right to Walk a Fundamental Right

News:

Case:

In a landmark judgment delivered in June 2026 in the case of Maniyar Iliyaz @ Shaik Riyaz v. P. Ayyappan, the Supreme Court of India held that the right to walk safely on proper footpaths is a Fundamental Right under Part III of the Constitution.

The Court stated that this right comes from:

1. Article 19(1)(d), which guarantees freedom of movement, and
2. Article 21, which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty.

The Court also observed that walking is connected with freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association under Articles 19(1)(a), 19(1)(b), and 19(1)(c).

Criticizing the tendency to design roads mainly for cars and other vehicles, the Court held that providing safe footpaths for pedestrians is not optional for governments but a constitutional duty.

 

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