Rights and privileges for citizens & not for friendly aliens
Q. Which of the following rights and privileges are conferred on citizens but not the friendly aliens?
1) Article 15
2) Article 22
3) Article 29- Published on 17 Feb 17a. 1, 3
b. 1, 2
c. 2, 3
d. All of the above
ANSWER: 1, 3
- Citizens are full members of the Indian State and owe allegiance to it.
- They enjoy all civil and political rights.
- Aliens are the citizens of some other state.
- Friendly aliens are the subjects of those countries that have cordial relations with India.
- Enemy aliens are the subjects of that country that is at war with India. They enjoy lesser rights than the friendly aliens, e.g., they do not enjoy protection against arrest and detention (Article 22).
- The Constitution confers the following rights and privileges on the citizens of India (and denies the same to aliens :
1. Article 15 - Right against discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.
2. Article 16 -Right to equality of opportunity in the matter of public employment.
3. Article 19 - Right to freedom of speech and expression, assembly, association, movement, residence and profession.
4. Articles 29 and 30 - Cultural and educational rights.
5. Right to vote in elections to the Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly.
6. Right to contest for the membership of the Parliament and the state legislature.
7. Eligibility to hold certain public offices, that is, President of India, Vice-President of India, judges of the Supreme Court and the high courts, governor of states, attorney general of India and advocate general of states.
- Citizens also owe certain duties towards the Indian State.
- In India both a citizen by birth as well as a naturalized citizen are eligible for the office of President while in USA, only a citizen by birth is eligible for the office of President.
