What is the case of Olga Tellis V. Bombay Municipal Corporation (1985)?
What is the case of Olga Tellis V. Bombay Municipal Corporation (1985)?
How did this famous case influence India on the Right to Life?
Olga Tellis v. Bombay Municipal Corporation (1985) is a landmark case in Indian constitutional law that dealt with the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution and the right to livelihood. The case dealt with the question of whether the right to life and personal liberty includes the right to livelihood, and if so, whether the government is obliged to provide citizens with the means to sustain their livelihood.
The case arose after the Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolished the homes and livelihoods of the slum dwellers in Bombay, including the petitioner Olga Tellis. The BMC argued that they were removing the slum dwellers to clear the area for redevelopment, and that the slum dwellers would be provided with alternative accommodation.