When the Constitution came into force in 1950, how many categories of Fundamental Rights did it contain?

In 1950, Part III of the Constitution contained seven categories of Fundamental Rights. Today there are six, because one category was later removed.

The original seven categories:

• Right to Equality.
• Right to Freedom.
• Right against Exploitation.
• Right to Freedom of Religion.
• Cultural and Educational Rights.
• Right to Property.
• Right to Constitutional Remedies.

Removal of the Right to Property:

• The Right to Property was removed from Part III by the 44th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1978.
• It was made a legal right under Article 300A in Part XII.
• Its removal was meant to make land reforms and other welfare measures easier, since many earlier laws had been challenged in court on the ground of property rights.

Effect of the change:

• A person deprived of property can no longer go directly to the Supreme Court under Article 32.
• He can still challenge the action in a High Court under Article 226 or in ordinary courts, since property can be taken only by authority of law.

Importance of the Right to Constitutional Remedies:

• Article 32 lets citizens move the Supreme Court directly to enforce their Fundamental Rights.
• Courts can issue writs such as habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, certiorari and quo warranto.

Later additions:

The Right to Education (Article 21A) was added by the 86th Amendment Act, 2002, within the Right to Freedom category, so it did not create a new category.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Six is the present number of categories.
• ✗Five and eight do not match the Constitution at any time.