Constitution of India · Part III: Fundamental Rights · Right to Freedom of Religion
Article 27: Freedom as to payment of taxes for promotion of any particular religion
In plain words
No person can be compelled to pay taxes whose proceeds are specifically used to promote or maintain a particular religion or religious denomination.
A simplified explanation, prepared with AI assistance from the official text below and checked automatically against it for numbers and cross-references. The official text is the law and prevails over this summary. Not legal advice.
Official text
No person shall be compelled to pay any taxes, the proceeds of which are specifically appropriated in payment of expenses for the promotion or maintenance of any particular religion or religious denomination.
Source: India Code (Legislative Department), the official text of the Constitution of India. As amended up to the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023. Text as on 10 September 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.
Supreme Court judgments citing the article 27
- Rajeev Sharma v. Union of India and Others
- Khalid Jahangir Qazi Through His Power of Attorney Holder Ms Farida Siddiqi v. Union of India Through Secretary & Ors
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IN RE : SECTION 6A OF THE CITIZENSHIP ACT 1955 versus
Issue arose as regards the constitutional validity of s.6A of the Citizenship Act; does s.6A offend preambular values like fraternity; s.6A, if ultra vires Part II of the Constitution; does s.6A create an unreasonable…
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Md. Rahim Ali @ Abdur Rahim v. The State of Assam & Ors.
The Foreigners Tribunal, Nalbari declared the appellant to be a foreigner on the grounds that he failed to discharge his burden under Section 9 of the Foreigners Act, 1946.
- Shri Anil Kumar Gupta (Deceased) Through Lrs v. Smt. Nisha Sharma
- Shri Anil Kumar Gupta (Deceased) Through His Lrs Sh. Akshay Gupta v. Smt. Nisha Sharma & Ors
- Aishat Shifa v. The State of Karnataka & Ors
- Indian Young Lawyers Assn. v. State of Kerala 561 Indian Young Lawyers Association & Ors.V. the State of Kerala & Ors.
- Sarika v. Administrator, Shri Mahakaleshwar Mandir Committee, Ujjain (M.P.) & Ors
- State of Gujarat and Another v. The L.R.C.G. and Others
- Prafull Goradia v. Union of India
- Bal Patil and Anr. v. Union of India and Ors.
- John Vallamattom and Anr. v. Union of India
- T.M.A. Pal Foundation and Ors. v. State of Karnataka and Ors.
- Ms. Aruna Roy and Others v. Union of India and Others
- Shri Jaganna Temple Puri Management Committee Represented Through Its Administrator and Anr. Etc. v. Chintamani Khuntia and Ors.
- Sri Divi Kodandarama Saram and Ors. v. State of Andhra Pradesh and Ors.
- M.C. Mehta v. Union of India and Ors.
- M/S Kumar Distributors (P) Ltd./Beltek India v. State of Bihar and Ors.
- S.R. Bommai v. Union of India and Ors.
- Sher Mohammad @ Seru v. The State of West Bengal
- State of Rajasthan and Ors. v. Saijanlal Panjawat & Ors.
- His Holiness Kesavananda Bharati Sripadagalavaru v. State of Kerala
- Raja Birakishore v. The State of Orissa
- Mahant Moti Das v. S. P. Sahi, the Special Officer in Charge of Hindu Religious Trusts & Others
- The Commissioner, Hindu Religious Endowments, Madras v. Sri Lakshmindra Thirtha Swamiar of Sri Shirur Mutt.
- Mahant Sri Jagannath Ramanuj Das and Another v. The State of Orissa and Another