Custodial Violence Prevention — Amendments

Amendment	Year	Description	Impact
44th Amendment Act	1978	While not directly amending provisions related to custodial violence prevention, the 44th Amendment Act reinforced the safeguards for personal liberty by making it harder to suspend fundamental rights, particularly Article 20 and 21, even during an Emergency. This indirectly strengthens the constitutional protection against arbitrary state action and custodial abuse.	Strengthened the inviolability of fundamental rights, especially Article 21, making it a more robust shield against state excesses, including custodial violence, even in extraordinary circumstances. It underscored the foundational importance of personal liberty.
86th Amendment Act	2002	Introduced Article 21A, making elementary education a fundamental right. While seemingly unrelated, the broader interpretation of Article 21 (Right to Life) often includes various aspects of human dignity and welfare. Any amendment strengthening fundamental rights jurisprudence indirectly reinforces the spirit of protection against state abuse.	Though not directly on custodial violence, it reflects the expanding scope of Article 21 and fundamental rights, emphasizing human dignity, which is intrinsically linked to protection from torture and inhumane treatment in custody.