Know Your Rights
Every plain-language guide on Nyaya Pathshala, in one place. Pick a subject.
पुलिसHow to file an FIR, and what to do if police refuse
Zero FIR at any station, e-FIR, your free copy, and the exact escalation (SP by post, then Magistrate under Sec 175(3) BNSS) when police refuse.
पुलिसYour rights if you are arrested
Grounds in writing, arrest memo, informing family, lawyer, medical check, 24-hour rule, when police must not arrest (Sec 35 BNSS) and how to get bail.
धनFaulty product or bad service? File a consumer complaint
Who counts as a consumer, the 1915 helpline, which Commission, fees (nil up to ₹5 lakh), e-daakhil filing, the 2-year limit and what the Commission can order.
सूचनाUse RTI to get information from the government
How to write an RTI that works: the ₹10 fee, 30-day and 48-hour deadlines, exemptions after the 2025 amendment, first and second appeals, and penalties.
धनLost money to an online scam? Act in the first hour
Call 1930, file at cybercrime.gov.in, tell your bank: the first-hour steps, RBI zero-liability rules, scams to recognise, and how frozen money is released.
महिलाProtection from domestic violence
What counts as domestic violence, who is protected, what a Magistrate can order (protection, residence, maintenance) and the steps: 181, Protection Officer.
न्यायालयFree legal aid: who gets it and how
Who gets a free lawyer under Sec 12 LSA Act (every woman, child, prisoner, SC/ST, low-income), what is covered, and how to apply: 15100, the DLSA, Lok Adalat.
घरRenting a home: agreement, deposit, eviction and your rights
11-month agreements, getting your deposit back, when a landlord can evict you, locks and power cut-offs, police verification, and where to complain.
संविधानThe Preamble: what it promises and how you can use it
Plain meaning of every word of the Preamble, whether it is enforceable in court, what the Supreme Court has held, and how a citizen can actually use it.
संविधानFundamental Rights: what they are and how to enforce them
The six groups of Fundamental Rights in Part III, who can claim them, and the exact steps (complaint, NHRC, legal aid, writ) when one is violated.
संविधानArticle 14: equality before the law, explained with steps
What Article 14 guarantees, when the state may treat people differently, and the exact steps to challenge an arbitrary or discriminatory government decision.
संविधानArticle 21: right to life and liberty, and how to use it
What Article 21 covers today (dignity, privacy, legal aid, health, a fair arrest), and the exact steps when someone is detained or denied a basic right.
संविधानWrit petitions: how to take your rights to the High Court
The five writs, Article 32 vs Article 226, who you can file against, and a step-by-step guide to filing a writ petition with free legal aid.
संविधानFundamental Duties: the 11 duties and what they mean for you
The eleven Fundamental Duties in Article 51A, whether they can be enforced, the laws that back them, and how to act on them without losing your rights.
संविधानDirective Principles: what the state owes you, and how to claim it
Articles 36–51 explained: what the Directive Principles promise, why courts cannot enforce them directly, and how to claim the laws and schemes built on them.
संविधानEmergency and your rights: what can never be suspended
How a national emergency affects Fundamental Rights, the 1978 safeguards, why Articles 20 and 21 always stay in force, and what to do if someone is detained.
संविधानRight to education: free school for every child aged 6 to 14
Article 21A and the RTE Act 2009: what schools must provide, what they cannot do, the 25% private-school quota, and where to complain if a child is denied.
संविधानBasic structure doctrine: what Parliament cannot change
Kesavananda Bharati (1973) in plain words: what the basic structure is, which features courts protect, and how a citizen can challenge a law or amendment.
स्वतंत्रताPublic Interest Litigation (PIL): how to file one, step by step
What a PIL is, who can file it, which court to choose, what it costs, how letter petitions work, and the mistakes that get a PIL dismissed with costs.
स्वतंत्रताRule of law: what it means when an official acts against you
What the rule of law means in plain words, where the Constitution protects it, and the exact steps to take when police, a municipality or an office ignores it.
स्वतंत्रताFreedom of speech: what you can say, and what to do if police call
What Article 19(1)(a) protects, the eight grounds for limits, which BNS sections are used against posts, and your exact rights if an FIR or notice follows.
स्वतंत्रताSedition to Section 152 BNS: what is punishable, what to do if booked
Where the old sedition law stands after the 2022 stay, what Section 152 BNS punishes, what courts have said about it, and your rights if an FIR is registered.
स्वतंत्रताYour right to protest: permissions, Section 163 orders and detention
Where the right to peaceful protest comes from, how to get permission, what a Section 163 BNSS order means, and your exact rights if police detain you.
स्वतंत्रताPress freedom: your rights as a reader and how to complain about media
How Article 19(1)(a) protects journalists, what limits apply, how to complain to the Press Council or a broadcaster, and what a reporter under threat should do.
स्वतंत्रताFreedom of religion (Articles 25–28): your rights and how to use them
What Articles 25 to 28 guarantee to believers and non-believers, the limits the State can impose, conversion rules, and what to do if your freedom is violated.
स्वतंत्रताFreedom to move, live and work anywhere in India: rights and limits
Your right to travel, settle and work in any state, the permits and land rules that limit it, and what migrant workers can claim under the Labour Codes.
स्वतंत्रताInter-caste and inter-faith marriage: your rights and protection
Adults can marry whom they choose. How the Special Marriage Act works step by step, how to get police protection from threats, and what to do about false FIRs.
स्वतंत्रताDefamation in India: what counts, defences, and what to do
What defamation means under Sec 356 BNS, the ten defences, how to file a complaint or civil suit, time limits, and what to do if you receive a notice.
स्वतंत्रताSection 163 BNSS (old Section 144): what a prohibitory order means
What a Sec 163 BNSS order (old Sec 144) can and cannot ban, how long it lasts, the penalty for breaking it, and how to get it changed or challenged.
स्वतंत्रताInternet shutdowns in India: the law, the limits, your options
Who can suspend the internet under the Telecommunications Act 2023 and the 2024 Rules, the 15-day limit, what Anuradha Bhasin requires, and what you can do.
स्वतंत्रताFreedom of association: your right to form unions and groups
Art 19(1)(c) explained: how to form and register a union, society, trust or NGO, what the State can restrict, and what to do if you are punished for joining.
स्वतंत्रताAcademic freedom: your rights to speak and protest on campus
What students and teachers may say and protest on campus, where the limits lie, the fair hearing owed before suspension, and how to fight unfair action.
स्वतंत्रताHate speech law in India: the BNS sections and how to report
What counts as hate speech under Secs 196, 197, 299, 302 and 353 BNS, where criticism ends and crime begins, and exactly how to report it offline or online.
स्वतंत्रताFake news and forwards: when sharing becomes a crime
When a forward becomes an offence under Sec 353 BNS, what platforms must do under the IT Rules, how to check a message, and what to do if you shared one.
स्वतंत्रताOnline defamation and trolling: what the law allows
When a post becomes defamation, when trolling is a crime, how to get content removed under the 2026 IT Rules timelines, and what to do if you are accused.
स्वतंत्रताRight to information: a freedom, not a favour
Where RTI comes from in the Constitution, how to file for Rs 10, the 30-day and 48-hour limits, appeals, penalties, and what changed in November 2025.
स्वतंत्रताMinority rights under Articles 29 and 30: what they mean for you
Who counts as a religious or linguistic minority, what Articles 29 and 30 protect, how minority schools get their status, and where to complain.
स्वतंत्रताIndian citizenship: how you get it, prove it and can lose it
The five ways to become an Indian citizen, the birth-date rules, how to apply online, which documents prove citizenship, and how citizenship ends.
स्वाधीनताBail is the rule, jail the exception: how to get bail
Bailable vs non-bailable offences, which court to apply to, what to carry, what a surety is, and what to do if you cannot pay. BNSS sections explained simply.
स्वाधीनताAnticipatory bail: how to get protection before arrest
Who can apply for anticipatory bail under Sec 482 BNSS, which court, what to file, how long it lasts, when it is barred, and what to do if police still arrest.
स्वाधीनताDefault bail: when police miss the 60 or 90 day chargesheet deadline
How Sec 187 BNSS limits custody during investigation, how to count the 60/90 days, when the right arises, and how to claim it before it is lost.
स्वाधीनताPolice custody vs judicial custody: limits, rights, what to do
What police custody and judicial custody mean, the 24-hour and 15-day limits under Sec 187 BNSS, your rights in a lock-up, and what families should do.
स्वाधीनताRight to remain silent: what you must and need not tell police
Article 20(3) explained: what you can refuse to answer, why confessions to police do not count under the BSA, narco tests, and what to do at the station.
स्वाधीनताRight to a speedy trial: BNSS deadlines and remedies for delay
Why a quick trial is part of Article 21, the time limits the BNSS sets for police and courts, how to track your case, and the remedies when it stalls for years.
स्वाधीनताUndertrial prisoners: rights in jail and release under Sec 479 BNSS
Rights that stay with an undertrial in jail, how the half and one-third rules of Sec 479 BNSS work, and the steps families take to get a prisoner released.
स्वाधीनताCustodial violence: your rights and how to complain
Beaten or threatened in police custody? The safeguards at arrest, how to get injuries recorded, what to tell the Magistrate, and where to complain.
स्वाधीनताRights of prisoners in India: a family guide
What a prisoner keeps behind bars: dignity, health care, a free lawyer, family visits, wages, parole, undertrial release (Sec 479 BNSS), and how to complain.
स्वाधीनताSummons or warrant? What to do when you receive one
Court summons, police notice, bailable and non-bailable warrant: what each means, how to verify it on eCourts, what happens if you ignore it, and what to do.
स्वाधीनताPolice notice under Section 35 BNSS: what to do
Got a Section 35(3) BNSS notice (old 41A CrPC)? What it means, why it usually protects you from arrest, what to carry, how to reply, and what if you ignore it.
स्वाधीनताChargesheet: time limits, copies, default bail, what next
What a chargesheet is, the 60/90-day default bail rule, the 90-day victim update, free copies within 14 days, closure reports, and what happens after filing.
स्वाधीनताRights of crime victims in India: a practical guide
Free FIR copy, zero FIR, 90-day updates, your own lawyer, compensation through the DLSA, free treatment, a say before withdrawal, and the right to appeal.
स्वाधीनताWitness protection in India: how to apply if threatened
Threatened as a witness? How the Witness Protection Scheme 2018 and Sec 398 BNSS work, who to apply to, the five-day timelines, and what protection you can get.
स्वाधीनताPreventive detention: Article 22 safeguards and how to fight it
Detained without trial under the NSA or a State Goonda Act? Your rights to grounds, representation and an Advisory Board, the NSA deadlines, and habeas corpus.
स्वाधीनताPlea bargaining under BNSS: eligibility, 30-day rule, sentence
Who qualifies for plea bargaining, the 30-day deadline after charge is framed, how the court checks it is voluntary, how far the sentence drops, and the risks.
स्वाधीनताWhen police seize your phone or laptop
When police may take your phone, the seizure memo, video and hash value they must record, whether you must give your password, and how to get the device back.
स्वाधीनताPolice searches of your home: what the law requires
When police may search your home with or without a warrant, the witnesses, list, copy and video the BNSS requires, your rights during the search, and remedies.
स्वाधीनताChildren in conflict with the law: the juvenile justice system
When a child under 18 is accused of a crime: no lock-up, Juvenile Justice Board in 24 hours, bail as the rule, 16–18 heinous cases, privacy, clean record.
स्वाधीनताCompensation when the State violates your rights
How to claim compensation from the State for custodial death, torture, illegal detention or false prosecution: writ petitions, NHRC, BNSS remedies, key cases.
समानताUntouchability and caste atrocities: Article 17 and the SC/ST Act
What Article 17 forbids, which acts are atrocities under the SC/ST Act, how to get the FIR registered, relief money, free lawyer and the 14566 helpline.
समानताReservations explained simply: who gets what, and the certificates
SC, ST, OBC and EWS shares in central jobs and colleges, the creamy layer and 50% rules, which certificate you need, where to apply and what to do if refused.
समानताDisability rights under the RPwD Act, 2016: what you can claim
The 21 disabilities, reasonable accommodation, 4% job and 5% seat quotas, how to get the UDID card, and where to complain when a school or employer says no.
समानताRights of transgender persons in India: the law as of 2026
What NALSA (2014) and the 2019 Act protect, how the identity certificate works, what the 2026 amendment changed, the Supreme Court case, and where to get help.
समानताLGBTQ+ rights in India after Navtej Johar: what the law gives you
What Navtej Johar (2018) changed, what Supriyo (2023) left open, protection from family and police, joint bank accounts, and where to get help.
समानताEqual pay for equal work: your rights under the Code on Wages
What the Constitution and the Code on Wages 2019 say about equal pay for women and contract workers, when a pay gap is lawful, and how to claim within 3 years.
समानताManual scavenging is banned: compensation, rehabilitation, reporting
What the 2013 Act bans, the 30 lakh rupee compensation for sewer deaths (Balram Singh, 2023), rehabilitation you can claim, and how to report violations.
समानताSenior citizens and parents: maintenance and protecting your home
How a parent or senior citizen gets monthly maintenance from children through the SDM's Tribunal without a lawyer, and how to cancel a gift deed if care stops.
समानताLiving wills and passive euthanasia: the right to die with dignity
What Indian law allows at the end of life, how to make a living will under the 2023 rules, how medical boards decide, and what Harish Rana (2026) changed.
समानताForest Rights Act: how to claim land and forest rights
Who the Forest Rights Act 2006 protects, the rights it recognises, how to claim through the Gram Sabha (Forms A, B, C), and what to do if you face eviction.
नारीSexual harassment at work: how to use the POSH Act
What counts as sexual harassment at work, how to complain to the Internal or Local Committee, the 3-month limit, interim relief, SHe-Box and employer duties.
नारीDowry is a crime: the law, the punishments and what to do
What counts as dowry, punishments for giving, taking or demanding it, cruelty (Sec 85 BNS) and dowry death (Sec 80 BNS), how to complain and recover stridhan.
नारीMaintenance under Section 144 BNSS: wives, children, parents
Who can claim maintenance under Sec 144 BNSS (earlier Sec 125 CrPC), where to file, interim maintenance in 60 days, the Rajnesh v Neha affidavit, and recovery.
नारीWomen's right to inherit property: daughters, wives, mothers
How daughters, widows and mothers inherit under Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Parsi law, what Vineeta Sharma (2020) settled, and how to claim your share.
नारीMaternity benefits: your rights under the Social Security Code
26 weeks' paid maternity leave, who qualifies (80 days), adoptive mothers, nursing breaks, creche, protection from dismissal, and what to do if refused.
नारीStalking, voyeurism and online harassment: how to stop it
What stalking (Sec 78 BNS), voyeurism (Sec 77) and online harassment mean, the punishments, how to save evidence, get images removed in 24 hours, file an FIR.
नारीChild marriage is illegal: how to stop one and what happens after
Legal age of marriage (18 women, 21 men), who is punished under the PCMA 2006, how to stop a wedding (1098, injunction), and options after a child marriage.
नारीChild labour: what the law bans and how to report it
No work for children under 14, no hazardous work for 14 to 18, the two narrow exceptions, employer penalties, and how to report: 1098, PENCIL, labour office.
नारीPOCSO Act: how to report child sexual abuse and what happens next
What POCSO covers, the legal duty to report (Sec 19), how to call 1098 or police, the child-friendly process, compensation and free legal aid.
नारीAbortion in India: what the MTP Act allows and whose consent counts
Legal abortion in India: 20 and 24-week limits, who decides, no husband's consent needed, unmarried women and minors, where to go, cost and confidentiality.
नागरिकHow to adopt a child in India legally: CARA process, eligibility, HAMA
Who can adopt, the CARA steps from registration to the District Magistrate's order, family adoption under HAMA, and why informal adoption is risky.
नागरिकVoter registration and polling-day rights: Form 6, ID, paid holiday
How to get on the voter list (Form 6), fix or move your entry (Form 8), what ID to carry, your paid holiday, the tendered vote, and whom to call: 1950.
नागरिकKnow your candidate: Form 26 affidavits, the KYC app and NOTA
Your right to see a candidate's criminal cases, assets and education in the Form 26 affidavit, where to read it (ECI KYC), and what NOTA does and does not do.
नागरिकHow to complain to the Lokpal or Lokayukta about corruption
Who the Lokpal and Lokayuktas cover, the complaint form and affidavit under the 2020 Rules, the 7-year limit, what happens next, and faster routes.
नागरिकStuck government service? CPGRAMS, Right to Services Acts and RTI
How to push a delayed pension, certificate or connection: CPGRAMS and its 21-day rule, the appeal, state Right to Services Acts, RTI and the High Court.
नागरिकComplaint against the police: FIR refused, misconduct, custody abuse
Where to complain about the police: SP and Magistrate for a refused FIR, Police Complaints Authority, Human Rights Commission and courts. Steps and helplines.
नागरिकHow to file a complaint with the NHRC or State Human Rights Commission
What the Human Rights Commissions can do, which complaints they take, the one-year limit, how to file free (hrcnet.nic.in, 14433), and what relief to expect.
नागरिकRight to food: your free ration entitlement under NFSA
How much free grain you are owed under NFSA, meals for mothers and children, ration card portability, and how to complain if the dealer cheats you.
नागरिकRural job guarantee: from MGNREGA to 125 days under VB-G RAM G
MGNREGA was replaced by the VB-G RAM G Act on 1 July 2026. How to demand work, your 125-day guarantee, wages, allowance and where to complain.
नागरिकRight to a clean environment: complaints and the NGT
Your right to clean air and water, how to complain about pollution and noise locally, and how any citizen can approach the National Green Tribunal.
निजताThe right to privacy: Puttaswamy and how to use it
How the Supreme Court made privacy a fundamental right in 2017, the test the State must pass to intrude, and how to protect yourself today.
निजताYour rights under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act
DPDP Act 2023 explained: consent, your rights to know, correct and erase data, children's data, complaints to the Board, and what applies when.
निजताAadhaar: where it is required and where it is not
What the Supreme Court decided on Aadhaar, where the law can require it, where it cannot be forced on you, and how to protect your number from misuse.
निजताIntimate images shared without consent: what to do
What to do in the first hours if your private photos or videos, real or morphed, are shared or threatened, how to get them taken down, and which laws punish the offender.
निजताKeeping children safe online: law and practical steps
The online risks children face, the laws that protect them, including POCSO and the data protection law, and practical steps parents and teachers can take today.
निजताOnline shopping gone wrong? Refunds, returns and complaints
When an online seller must take goods back, the 48-hour grievance officer rule, dark patterns, 1915, chargebacks and filing on e-Jagriti.
निजताNoise at night? Loudspeaker rules and how to complain
The 10 pm–6 am rule, decibel limits, festival exceptions, horns, construction and firecrackers, and how to complain to police, SDM or the Pollution Board.
निजताRoad accident: free treatment, Good Samaritan law and compensation
Cashless treatment up to ₹1.5 lakh, protection for those who help, MACT claims, no-fault and hit-and-run compensation, and what families should do.
निजताMedical negligence and patients' rights: what to do
Your right to emergency care, consent and records within 72 hours, what counts as medical negligence, and where to complain: consumer, police, medical council.
निजताRERA: your rights when a builder delays or cheats you
Refund with interest or monthly delay interest under Sec 18, free repair of defects for 5 years, and how to file a RERA complaint under Sec 31.
श्रमMinimum wages: what you must be paid, and how to recover arrears
Find your notified minimum wage, know when wages must be paid under the Code on Wages, and claim unpaid wages within three years under Sec 45.
श्रमGratuity: who gets it, how much, and how to claim it
Five years' service (one year for fixed-term staff), 15 days' wages a year, payment within 30 days, and what to do if your employer refuses.
श्रमProvident fund (EPF): check, withdraw, and fix problems
How your EPF account works, when you can withdraw part or all of it under the 2026 Scheme, and what to do if PF was deducted but not deposited.
श्रमFired unfairly? Your rights and how to challenge it
Notice, retrenchment pay, full dues in 2 working days, and how to take an unfair dismissal to the grievance committee, conciliation and the Tribunal.
श्रमCheque bounced? Section 138 deadlines and what to do
30 days to send notice, 15 days to pay, one month to file: the Section 138 timeline, interim compensation, and what to do if you issued the cheque.
श्रमComplaint against a bank: how to use the RBI Ombudsman
Under the RBI Ombudsman Scheme 2026: complain to the bank, wait 30 days, then file free at cms.rbi.org.in within 90 days. Compensation and appeal explained.
श्रमLoan recovery agents harassing you? What they cannot do
RBI bars recovery calls before 8 am or after 7 pm, threats and shaming. Know the rules, the crimes under BNS, and how to complain to the bank, RBI and police.
श्रमInsurance claim rejected? How to challenge it
Ask for reasons, complain to the insurer and Bima Bharosa, then the free Insurance Ombudsman (claims up to ₹50 lakh, within a year) or consumer commission.
श्रमHow to make a valid will in India, step by step
Plain paper, your signature and two witnesses: what makes a will valid under Sec 63, whether to register it, and mistakes that start family disputes.
श्रमDomestic workers' rights: wages, safety and where to get help
Rights of maids, cooks, nannies and drivers under the labour codes, POSH and child labour law; e-Shram registration; and where to complain.