Right to walk on safe footpaths

In Maniyar Iliyaz v. P. Ayyappan, arising from the tragic death of a five‑year‑old, the Supreme Court declared that the “primary right of movement” under Article 19(1)(d) is the fundamental right to walk. It held that the right to walk on safe, well‑demarcated footpaths is a fundamental right, enhancing compensation to the bereaved father and signalling that urban infrastructure and pedestrian safety are constitutional concerns, not mere administrative choices.^[5]

Psychological evaluation in custody disputes

In Sheetal Vasant Thakur v. Chirag Arora, the Court criticised the constitution of a multi‑expert psychological panel for a minor in a custody dispute, holding that such arrangements had inadequately considered the child’s emotional security and welfare. Issuing a 20‑point guideline, it cautioned against repeated or excessive psychological testing in adversarial custody battles and re‑centred the analysis on the child’s best interests.^[5]