New Delhi, June 20 -- In a landmark judgment aimed at strengthening pedestrian rights, the Supreme Court has ruled that the right to walk on properly demarcated footpaths is a fundamental right protected under the Constitution and takes precedence over the movement of motor vehicles on public roads.

A bench comprising Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice A.S. Chandurkar, in its judgment delivered on Friday, held that the right to walk is an integral part of the freedom of movement guaranteed under Article 19(1)(d) of the Constitution. The court observed that this right must be read alongside Articles 19(1)(a), 19(1)(b), 19(1)(c), and Article 21, which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty.

The bench emphasized that wherever ro...