Article 19(1)(e) is a fundamental rights provision in the Constitution of India that guarantees every citizen the right "to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India". This right originated with the Constitution's adoption on January 26, 1950, and was intended to remove internal barriers, promoting national unity and fraternity among citizens.
The provision works by ensuring citizens can choose their place of residence anywhere within the country. However, this freedom is not absolute and is subject to reasonable restrictions imposed by the State under Article 19(5). The State can impose these restrictions by law in the interests of the general public or for the protection of the interests of any Scheduled Tribe. The Supreme Court has interpreted this right broadly; in U.P. Avas Evam Vikas Parishad v. Friends Co-op. Housing Society Ltd. (1995), the Court held that the right to residence under Article 19(1)(e) includes the right to shelter and to construct houses.
This right is closely connected to Article 19(1)(d), which guarantees the right "to move freely throughout the territory of India," as the two freedoms are complementary. It is one of the six freedoms guaranteed to citizens under Article 19. While Article 19(1)(e) has remained structurally the same, the overall framework of Article 19 saw a major change when Article 19(1)(f), the right to acquire, hold, and dispose of property, was removed by the 44th Amendment Act of 1978 and reclassified as a constitutional right under Article 300A.