---
title: "Article 21: Right to Life and Personal Liberty"
description: "Article 21 protects life and personal liberty in India and now covers dignity, privacy and due process. See how Maneka Gandhi (1978) transformed its reach."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/article-21-right-to-life-and-personal-liberty"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Article 21 of the Constitution of India guarantees that no person shall be deprived of life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law.
- What is the difference between 'procedure established by law' and 'due process of law' under Article 21?
- Can Article 21 be suspended during a national emergency?
- Does Article 21 protect non-citizens?
- What unenumerated rights have courts read into Article 21?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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In Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017), a nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court of India unanimously held that the right to privacy is a fundamental right protected under Article 21.

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