What is the case of Chameli Singh v. State of U.P. 1996?
How did a right to shelter case brought by a homeless person become one of the most famous cases in India?
Chameli Singh v. State of U.P. is a 1996 case heard by the Supreme Court of India that dealt with the issue of the right to shelter. The case was brought by Chameli Singh, a homeless person who was forcibly evicted from her makeshift shelter by the police in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
In her petition, Singh argued that the forced eviction and the lack of any alternative accommodation or shelter violated her fundamental right to life and personal liberty as guaranteed by Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. She also argued that the state's failure to provide shelter to homeless individuals was a violation of their right to live with dignity, which is also protected by the constitution.