Abolition of Titles under Article 18
Article 18 – Abolition of Titles
📜 Text of Article 18:
Article 18 of the Indian Constitution deals with the abolition of titles and is part of the Right to Equality (Articles 14–18). It ensures equal status among all citizens and seeks to prevent class distinctions based on titles.
⚖️ Provisions under Article 18:
Article 18 has four clauses:
Article 18(1):
No title, not being a military or academic distinction, shall be conferred by the State.
✅ This means the government cannot confer any title that creates social inequality or privileges — like "Sir", "Raja", "Maharaja", etc.
❗ But military and academic titles like Doctor, Professor, or Major are allowed.
Article 18(2):
No citizen of India shall accept any title from any foreign State.
✅ An Indian citizen cannot accept titles from foreign governments like "Sir" or "Lord" (e.g., British honours).
❌ This prevents dual loyalty or allegiance to foreign powers.
Article 18(3):
No person who is not a citizen of India shall, while he holds any office of profit or trust under the State, accept any title from any foreign State without the consent of the President.
✅ Foreign nationals working for the Indian government cannot accept titles from foreign countries unless they have prior permission from the President.
Article 18(4):
No person holding any office of profit or trust under the State shall, without the consent of the President, accept any present, emolument, or office of any kind from or under any foreign State.
✅ This is to ensure that government officers are not influenced by foreign powers, even by gifts or employment.
🎯 Objective of Article 18:
To uphold equality among citizens.
To prevent the revival of feudal or aristocratic systems.
To ensure no special privileges are given by way of titles.
To maintain national integrity by restricting foreign influence.
🧑⚖️ Important Case Law:
🔹 Indira Jaising v. Supreme Court of India (2017)
The Court held that the use of titles like “Senior Advocate” does not violate Article 18, because it is a professional distinction, not a title in the sense of nobility or social hierarchy.
🔹 Balaji Raghavan v. Union of India (1996)
This case questioned whether civilian awards like Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, etc. violate Article 18.
The Supreme Court ruled:
Such awards are not titles under Article 18 if they are not used as prefixes or suffixes (e.g., not using "Padma Shri XYZ").
If someone misuses the award as a title, it violates Article 18(1).
✅ Allowed Titles (Exceptions):
Military distinctions (e.g., General, Colonel)
Academic distinctions (e.g., Dr., Prof.)
Merit-based honors (e.g., Padma Awards) – but not to be used as titles
❌ Not Allowed:
Titles like Sir, Duke, Lord, Maharaja, Nawab, etc., whether granted by India or foreign states.
Using civilian awards as hereditary or privileged titles.
📘 Conclusion:
Article 18 is a vital provision that upholds social equality and national sovereignty. It:
Abolishes feudal titles
Restricts foreign influence
Ensures democratic values of merit over birth
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