25/04/2023
The word duty is derived from the word “due”. It means something which is owed. So, Duty can be understood as an obligation to perform an act or a task. This act or task can be ethical, moral, cultural etc. or otherwise. To understand the concept of duty better, one age old story can safely be narrated. In the story there were two groups of people. Once there was a dispute regarding superiority between them. The criterion was fixed as better performance of the group. Both the groups were given task to eat food with tide arms with a stick in such a way that no member of the group can’t fold his elbow in order to eat. Both the groups were called upon to perform. Members of first group tried to eat themselves, however since the elbow could not be folded, none of the group member could eat and entire food went waste. When the other group was given chance to perform, each member of the group fed the other member of the group and in this process, all were fed properly with entire satisfaction. There was no waste of food also. This story present better cooperation and harmony with maximum utilisation of resources while maintaining decorum and respect of each member of the group. This analogy can be also extended to the rights and duties as well wherein obtaining the food is a right and get fed is a duty. When focus was for the rights, none could get it whereas when the stress was shifted to, all obtained their rights consequently with complete satisfaction.
By : Dr Prem Chandra, Law Teacher, Sardar Patel Subharti Institute of Law & Dr Ashutosh Garg, Advocate on Record, Supreme Court of India