Democratic Rights Class 9 Notes: CBSE 9th Social Science Chapter 5, Download PDF Here

Democratic Rights Class 9 Notes: CBSE Class 9 Social Science revision notes for Chapter 5-Democratic Rights are available here. These notes are entirely according to the latest CBSE syllabus of Class 9 Social Science. Check these chapter notes for a quick revision of the chapter. 

CBSE Class 9 Social Science Democratic Rights Notes

Rights in a Democracy 

• Rights are reasonable claims of persons recognised by society and sanctioned by law.
• Rights are necessary for the very sustenance of a democracy. In a democracy every citizen has to have the right to vote and the right to be elected to government.
• Rights also perform a very special role in a democracy. Rights protect minorities from the oppression of the majority. They ensure that the majority cannot do whatever it likes.
• Rights are guarantees which can be used when things go wrong.

Rights in the Indian Constitution 

In India, like most other democracies in the world, these rights are mentioned in the Constitution. Some rights which are fundamental to our life are given a special status. They are called Fundamental Rights.Fundamental Rights are an important basic feature of India's Constitution. 

Right to Equality

• The Constitution says that the government shall not deny to any person in India equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws. It means that the laws apply in the same manner to all, regardless of a person’s status. This is called the rule of law.

• The government shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. 
• Every citizen shall have access to public places like shops, restaurants, hotels,and cinema halls. Similarly, there shall be no restriction with regard to the use of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, roads, playgrounds and places of public resorts maintained by the government or dedicated to the use of the general public.
• All citizens have equality of opportunity in matters relating to employment or appointment to any position in the government. However, Reservations are not a violation of the Right to Equality.
• Under the right to equality, the practice of untouchability has been forbidden in any form. Untouchability here does not only mean refusal to touch people belonging to certain castes. It refers to any belief or social practice which looks down upon people on account of their birth with certain caste labels. Such practice denies them interaction with others or access to public places as equal citizens. So the Constitution made untouchability a punishable offence.

Right to Freedom 

• Freedom means absence of constraints. In practical life it means absence of interference in our affairs by others – be it other individuals or the government. Under the Indian Constitution all citizens have the right to: 
• Freedom of speech and expression
• Assembly in a peaceful manner
• Form associations and unions
• Move freely throughout the country
• Reside in any part of the country,and
• Practice any profession, or to carry on any occupation, trade or business.
• Freedom of speech and expression is one of the essential features of any democracy.However, this freedom should not be used to instigate violence against others. 
• Citizens also have the freedom to hold meetings, processions, rallies and demonstrations on any issue. Citizens can also form association. But such meetings have to be peaceful. They should not lead to public disorder or breach of peace in society. Those who participate in these activities and meetings should not carry weapons with them.
• Citizens have the freedom to travel to any part of the country.They are free to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India.
• The Constitution says that no person can be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law. It also means that a government or police officer cannot arrest or detain any citizen unless he has proper legal justification. Even when they do, they have to follow some procedures:
• A person who is arrested and detained in custody will have to be informed of the reasons for such arrest and detention.
• A person who is arrested and detained shall be produced before the nearest magistrate within a period of 24 hours of arrest.
• Such a person has the right to consult a lawyer or engage a lawyer for his defence.

Right against Exploitation

Every citizen has a right not to be exploited.Under the right against exploitation, the Constitution mentions three specific evils and declares these illegal. 

• First, the Constitution prohibits ‘traffic in human beings’. Traffic here means selling and buying of human beings. 
• Second, our Constitution also  prohibits forced labour or begar in any form. Begar is a practice where the worker is forced to render service to the ‘master’ free of charge or at a nominal remuneration.
• Finally, the Constitution also prohibits child labour. No one can employ a child below the age of fourteen to work in any factory or mine or in any other hazardous work, such as railways and ports.

Right to Freedom of Religion 

• Every person has a right to profess, practice and propagate the religion he or she believes in. Every religious group or sect is free to manage its religious affairs. 
• A right to propagate one’s religion,however, does not mean that a person has the right to compel another person to convert into his religion by means of force, fraud, inducement or allurement.
• Freedom to practice religion does not mean that a person can do whatever he wants in the name of religion.

• The government cannot compel any person to pay any taxes for the promotion or maintenance of any particular religion or religious institution. There shall be no religious instruction in the government educational institutions. 
• In educational institutions managed by private bodies no person shall be compelled to take part in any religious instruction or to attend any religious worship.

Cultural and Educational Rights 

The Constitution of India specifies the cultural and educational rights of the minorities:

• Any section of citizens with a distinct language or culture have a right to conserve it. 
• Admission to any educational institution maintained by the government or receiving government aid cannot be denied to any citizen on the ground of religion or language.
• All minorities have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.

Right to Constitutional Remedies

• The fundamental rights in the Constitution are important because they are enforceable. We have a right to seek the enforcement of fundamental rights. This is called the Right to Constitutional Remedies.
• It is possible that sometimes our rights may be violated by fellow citizens, private bodies or by the government. When any of our rights are violated we can seek remedy through courts. If it is a Fundamental Right we can directly approach the Supreme Court or the High Court of a state

• Fundamental Rights are guaranteed against the actions of the Legislatures, the Executive, and any other authorities instituted by the government. There can be no law or action that violates the Fundamental Rights.
• The Supreme Court and High Courts have the power to issue directions, orders or writs for the enforcement of the Fundamental Rights. They can also award compensation to the victims and punishment to the violators.

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