Which Article of the Constitution of India explicitly guarantees the Right to Equality before the Law and equal protection of the laws within the territory of India?

Introduction / Context:
The Constitution of India contains a set of fundamental rights designed to protect individual freedoms and ensure equality. Among these, the Right to Equality occupies a central position. It includes different specific guarantees distributed over several Articles, but one Article in particular uses the exact phrase equality before the law and equal protection of the laws. This question tests your ability to recall the correct Article number associated with this foundational guarantee.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are dealing with the Right to Equality in the Indian Constitution.
• The key phrases are equality before the law and equal protection of the laws.
• The options list Articles 13, 14, 15, 17, and 19.
• We assume familiarity with the basic structure of Part III (Fundamental Rights).

Concept / Approach:
The Right to Equality is primarily covered under Articles 14 to 18 of the Constitution. Article 14 is the starting point and provides that the State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India. This Article extends to all persons, not only citizens. Article 15 prohibits discrimination on specified grounds, Article 16 deals with equality of opportunity in public employment, Article 17 abolishes untouchability, and Article 18 abolishes titles. Article 13, on the other hand, deals with the effect of fundamental rights on existing and future laws, and Article 19 covers certain freedoms, not equality before the law.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Right to Equality begins with Article 14 and runs through Article 18.Step 2: Identify the Article that contains the exact wording about equality before the law and equal protection of the laws.Step 3: Article 14 clearly states that the State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India.Step 4: Article 15 focuses on non discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth, but does not itself carry the equality before the law phrase.Step 5: Article 17 abolishes untouchability, an important equality measure, but again is not the Article that states equality before the law.Step 6: Article 13 and Article 19 belong to different parts of the scheme and are not the direct equality before law provision.Step 7: Therefore, the correct answer is Article 14.

Verification / Alternative check:
Checking any standard text of the Constitution or a reliable guide to fundamental rights shows that Article 14 is the first right listed under the Right to Equality and explicitly uses the phrase equality before the law and equal protection of the laws. Commentaries further explain that Article 14 embodies both the British concept of formal equality before the law and the American concept of equal protection, blended into a single provision. No other Article in the options carries this exact combination of phrases, confirming that Article 14 is correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Article 13: This deals with laws inconsistent with fundamental rights and the concept of judicial review, not the direct guarantee of equality before the law.

Article 15: It prohibits discrimination on certain grounds but assumes and builds upon the general equality principle laid down in Article 14.

Article 17: It abolishes untouchability and forbids its practice in any form; while related to equality, it is not the general equality before law provision.

Article 19: This Article guarantees six fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of speech and expression, and is part of the Right to Freedom, not the Right to Equality.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often remember the range 14 to 18 for the Right to Equality but may mix up the specific content of each Article. A helpful mnemonic is to recall Article 14 as the broad equality clause, Article 15 as non discrimination, Article 16 as equality of opportunity, Article 17 as abolition of untouchability, and Article 18 as abolition of titles. This structure helps in accurately answering questions that ask for the exact Article number for particular guarantees.

Final Answer:
The Right to Equality before the law and equal protection of the laws is guaranteed under Article 14 of the Constitution of India.