RAS question
Article 14 guarantees 'equality before law' and 'equal protection of laws'. These concepts are borrowed respectively from:
Correct answer: (D) British Constitution and American Constitution.
Article 14 draws 'equality before law' from the British rule-of-law tradition and 'equal protection of laws' from the American Constitution.
Explanation
Article 14 contains two linked but distinct guarantees: equality before law and equal protection of laws. Equality before law is a negative concept drawn from the British rule of law associated with A.V. Dicey: it denies special privilege and puts everyone under the ordinary law. The expression stems from English common law. Equal protection of laws is the positive side: people placed in similar circumstances should receive similar legal treatment. This expression has an American origin and is distinct from equality before law. Therefore, the required order is British Constitution first and American Constitution second.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) This reverses the order: the American Constitution relates to equal protection of laws, not equality before law.
- (B) The French Constitution is not the origin of either expression here.
- (C) The Irish Constitution is not linked to equality before law here, while the American Constitution applies only to equal protection of laws.
Concept
This tests the borrowed features and conceptual vocabulary of Fundamental Rights, especially Article 14. RAS repeatedly asks this area because equality is both a direct constitutional provision and a basis for wider governance questions.