Which of the following Articles of the Indian Constitution directs the state "to promote equal justice and to provide free legal aid to the poor"? 

The correct answer is Article 39A.

Key Points

• Article 39A is part of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) in the Indian Constitution.
• It mandates the state to provide free legal aid, ensuring that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities.
• This Article was inserted by the 42nd Amendment Act of 1976.
• It emphasizes the state's role in promoting justice, on the basis of equal opportunity.

Important Points

• The Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) are guidelines for the central and state governments of India, to be kept in mind while framing laws and policies.
• They are non-justiciable, meaning they are not legally enforceable by the courts for their violation.
• However, they are fundamental in the governance of the country, aiming to create social and economic conditions under which the citizens can lead a good life.

Additional Information

• Article 44
  • Article 44 of the Indian Constitution directs the state to secure for the citizens a Uniform Civil Code throughout the territory of India.
  • This aims at replacing personal laws based on the scriptures and customs of each major religious community in India with a common set of rules governing every citizen.
• Article 40
  • ​Article 40 states that the state shall take steps to organize village panchayats and endow them with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of self-government.
• Article 38
  • ​Article 38 directs the state to promote the welfare of the people by securing and protecting a social order in which justice, social, economic, and political, shall inform all the institutions of national life.