Human Rights and the Law : Universal and Indian

Contents: Preface. 1. Evolution of human rights and fundamental right under Indian constitution. 2. Evolution of universal human rights. 3. Democracy: free and impartial elections by adult suffrage and democratic form of government. 4. Right of equality. 5. Right to life and personal liberty, universal human right. 6. Right against arbitrary arrest. 7. Right to form association. 8. Freedom of speech and expression. 9. Freedom of movement. 10. Right to assemble. 11. Freedom to practice any profession or to carry on any occupation, trade or business. 12. Right to property. 13. Right to freedom of conscience and religion. 14. Cultural and educational rights and rights of minorities. 15. Right against exploitation: abolition of slavery, traffic in human beings, forced labour (begar) bonded labour, child labour, illegitimate child. 16. Implementation and enforcement of human rights and of fundamental rights under the Indian constitution. 17. Universal economic, social and cultural right and Indian constitution's directive principles of state policy. 18. Human rights and national emergencies. 19. National commission on human rights. Appendices: 1. Universal declaration of human rights. 2. (A) International covenant on economic, social and cultural rights. (B) International covenant on civil and political rights. (C) Optional protocol to the international covenant on civil and political rights. 3. Declaration by the Government of India. 4. The constitution of India: preamble, fundamental rights and directive principles of state policy. 5. The National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992. 6. The Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 (Act No. 10 of 1994). 7. National Human Rights Commission Annual Report for the Year 1994-95. Index.

"In this book authors have dwelt upon the provisions of the universal declaration of human rights, the covenant on economic, social and cultural rights and covenant on civil political rights together with the two protocols to the second covenant. The authors have critically examined human rights provisions laid down in our constitution and their exposition and expoundation by the Supreme Court of India, apart from the usual civil and political rights.

"The authors have critically examined the expanded right under Article 21, the right to life and liberty. In this are included, right to human dignity, right to privacy, right to travel all over the world, right to speedy trial, right to free legal aid, right of prisoner to be treated with dignity and humanity, right to bail, right to compensation for custodial death, right to know, right of livelihood, right to protection of health and medical care, right to protection of childhood, right to equal pay for equal work, right of workers to fair wage and to human conditions, right to work, right to social security, right of workers to participate in the management, right to shelter, right to education right to healthy environment and right to compensation for a victim of unlawful arrest or detention." (jacket)

[Paras Diwan was formerly Professor and Chairman, Department of Law, Panjab University. Paras Diwan also wrote Outlines of the Constitution of India, Muslim Law in Modern India and Modern Hindu Law.]