The judiciary’s role in complete justice
GS2Polity · Governance · IR· Judiciary & landmark judgments· Prelims + Mains·
Why in news
The Supreme Court of India ruled that safe travel on National Highways is a fundamental right under Article 21, invoking Article 142 to ensure complete justice following fatal road accidents in November 2025.
Background
The Supreme Court declared safe highway travel an integral part of the Right to Life. The government's current strategy to reduce road fatalities by 50% by 2030 focuses on education, engineering, enforcement, and emergency medical services.
Facts for Prelims
- ConstitutionArticle 21: Right to Life and Personal Liberty
- ConstitutionArticle 142: Power of the Supreme Court to pass any decree or order necessary for doing complete justice
- FactGovernment target: 50% reduction in road accident fatalities by 2030
- FactTwo road accidents in November 2025 resulted in 34 deaths
For Mains
Q. Examine the role of the judiciary in expanding the scope of Article 21 to include safety in public infrastructure and the implications of Article 142 in judicial activism.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Judicial expansion: Transforming infrastructure safety into a non-negotiable fundamental right
- Legislative gap: Use of Article 142 to bypass insufficient existing road safety laws
- Policy-Judiciary nexus: Balancing government's 2030 fatality reduction targets with judicial mandates
Keywords: Judicial Activism · Complete Justice · Right to Life · Article 142 · Public Safety · Fundamental Rights
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