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Research Paper | Law | India | Volume 13 Issue 1, January 2024

Constitutional Protection of Minorities in India: A Critical Study

Fatima Shah

Abstract: India has a shameful past and present marked by several violent and communal conflicts. Individuals who identify as part of a national, ethnic, religious, or linguistic minority have heightened vulnerability to discrimination in many forms, including but not limited to inadequate housing, land and property, and even nationality. The framers of the Indian Constitution were very careful to provide certain rights and benefits to the country's minority groups. During India's liberation movement, ideological convictions to guarantee, defend, and safeguard the rights of minorities evolved, leading to the granting of such rights. The 1928 Nehru report, a paper describing a planned new dominion status and future of India's constitution, was a clear manifestation of this determination. In India's Constituent Assembly, the question of minority rights was front and centre. Minority status was awarded to religious and linguistic groups throughout this procedure. The Supreme Court stepped in to protect minority interests because minorities saw their privileged status was not immune to legal scrutiny. In order to defend and promote the interests of minority groups, this research study seeks to comprehend the scope of the word "minority" and to shed light on the several sections of the Indian constitution that deal with minority rights and policies. Moreover, it examines a number of commissions and programmes launched by the Indian government.

Keywords: Minority, Rights, Indian Constitution, Ethnic Community, Commissions

Edition: Volume 13 Issue 1, January 2024,

Pages: 51 - 57