Which among the following cases led to establishment of Right to Free Legal Aid to the status of Fundamental Right?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Hussainara Khatoon v. Home Secretary
This landmark judgment by the Supreme Court of India recognized the right to free legal aid as an essential component of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The first ever PIL is listed as Hussainara Khatoon v. State of Bihar and dates back to 1979. A public interest activist lawyer filed this case on behalf of thousands of prisoners of the Bihar jail against the inhuman conditions of the prison. A Supreme Court bench headed by Justice P.N. Bhagwati declared the right for free legal aid and expeditious trial of these prisoners, which ultimately led to their release.