In its April 2026 round-up of orders, the Supreme Court held that road safety forms part of the right to life under Article 21, in proceedings examining lapses in traffic regulation and infrastructure. This was among several notable April 2026 orders, alongside matters on custodial issues, bail, and representation of women in the Bar, but stood out for its constitutional reach.
Article 21 bars deprivation of life except by procedure established by law, and the Court has long read into it positive State duties beyond mere existence—covering health, environment, shelter, and livelihood. Placing road safety within this guarantee makes executive inaction on unsafe roads, poor signage, and unenforced limits amenable to constitutional scrutiny rather than being dismissed as non-justiciable policy, connecting to Article 19 and Directive Principles like Articles 38, 47, and 48A.
For exams, remember: this is judicial interpretation extending Article 21's unenumerated rights, not a new statute. Related law includes BNS Sections 281, 106, and 125 (individual negligence offences replacing IPC provisions) and BNSS Sections 194 and 396 (inquest and victim compensation), which address individual conduct, while the Article 21 recognition targets systemic State responsibility.