Freedom of Religion
Articles 25 to 28 of the Constitution
The Indian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion as a fundamental right under Articles 25-28, but this right is not absolute — it is subject to public order, morality, and health, and to other provisions in Part III.
- Article 25(1): Subject to public order, morality, and health, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise, and propagate religion.
- Article 25(2)(b): Allows the state to make laws providing for social welfare and reform or for throwing open of Hindu religious institutions to all classes of Hindus — enabling reformative legislation.
- Article 26: Freedom to manage religious affairs (religious denominations can manage their own religious affairs).
- Article 28: Prohibits religious instruction in state-funded educational institutions.
- The word "propagate" in Article 25 was a deliberate choice by the Constituent Assembly (inserted at the insistence of Christian missionaries and Sikh representatives) — it protects the right to spread one's faith. However, it does not include the right to convert others by force or fraud.
● Tracked since March 10, 2026 · last seen August 21, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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