1980s bonded labour case – what did SC hold?
Explanation & Strategy
Click any section to expand · only one open at a time
The Supreme Court in Bandhua Mukti Morcha vs. Union of India (1984) held that bonded labour violates the fundamental right to life and personal liberty under Article 21, read with Article 23's prohibition on forced labour. The court recognized that economic compulsion forcing people into bonded servitude was constitutionally impermissible and directed comprehensive rehabilitation measures. This was a landmark PIL establishing that forced labour is not just a criminal offence but a fundamental rights violation.