Supreme Court Declares Safe Travel on National Highways a Fundamental Right Context: The Supreme Court of India declared the Right to Safe Travel on National Highways as a part of the Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution. Safe and motorable roads are now considered a constitutional obligation of the State. Case Background The judgment came in: In Re: Phalodi Accident vs. National Highways Authority of India and Others (2025). The Court took suo motu cognisance of two road accidents in November 2025 that caused the death of 34 people. Government’s Road Safety Goal India aims to reduce road accidents by 50% by 2030. The strategy focuses on the “4 Es”: Education, Engineering (roads and vehicles), Enforcement, Emergency Medical Services Supreme Court’s Constitutional Role The Supreme Court is the custodian of the Constitution and can exercise special powers to ensure justice. It invoked Article 142 of the Constitution to provide “complete justice”. About Article 142 Article 142 empowers the Supreme Court to pass orders necessary for doing complete justice in any case. These powers are: Inherent to the Supreme Court Beyond limitations of ordinary laws Used when law is silent or inadequate National Commission for Women Context: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has submitted a comprehensive report containing recommendations regarding the rights of Muslim women in India to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Women and Child Development, and the Ministry of Minority Affairs. This report was submitted following an extensive national-level consultation undertaken with the objective of strengthening the legal, social, and constitutional rights of Muslim women in the country. The Commission’s Views on Women’s Rights and Personal Law Reforms Constitutional Safeguards and Legal Reforms The Commission noted that constitutional safeguards and recently enacted legal reforms have played a pivotal role in promoting…
