Article 15 of the Constitution of India

Article 15 of the Constitution of India forbids discrimination on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth or any of them. It applies Article 14's general principle of equality in specific situations by forbidding classifications made on protected grounds. While prohibiting discrimination based on prejudice, the Article is also the central issue in a large body of judicial decisions, public debate, and legislation revolving around affirmative action, reservations, and quotas. As of the 103rd Amendment of the Constitution of India, Article 15 has six clauses. Clause (1) prohibits discrimination against citizens on protected grounds. Clause (2) mandates that citizens may access various public or commercial spaces or utilities without discrimination on protected grounds. Clauses (3)-(6) allow the State to create 'special provisions' for women, children, socially and educationally backward classes, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and economically weaker sections.