Normally hum fundamental rights ko State vs citizen framework me sochte hain – government ne kya galat kiya. Lekin modern debates me ek important idea utha hai: kya fundamental rights private parties ke disputes me bhi role play kar sakte hain? Isko “horizontal application” bolte hain.
Example socho: big private employer employee ke speech ko suppress kare, private school arbitrary expulsion kare, social media platform ek particular view target kare. Yaha direct State act nahi, phir bhi power imbalance real hai. Courts kabhi-kabhi kehte hain ki jab private entity public functions ya dominant position me ho, to fundamental rights ke principles indirectly apply ho sakte hain.
Horizontal effect kai tareekon se aata hai:
- Courts ordinary laws (contract, tort, labour) ko interpret karte waqt rights-friendly reading adopt karte hain,
- Certain private bodies ko constitutional-like obligations diye jate hain due to nature of function,
- Anti-discrimination ya labour statutes fundamental rights ki extension ban jate hain.
Purely private bedroom-level matters me State intrusion problematic ho sakta hai, lekin jahan private power effectively public impact create kar rahi ho, waha rights conversation se door rehna bhi unfair lagta hai.
Yeh area evolving hai, isliye clear black-and-white rules kam hain; har case me context heavy analysis hoti hai.