Immunity

noun (countable and uncountable)

/ɪˈmjuːnɪti/

Protection from legal proceedings, liability, or compulsion afforded to certain persons or institutions by law. In the Indian Constitution, Parliamentary immunity is conferred by Articles 105 and 194, shielding MPs and MLAs from court proceedings for anything said or voted in the legislature. Presidential immunity under Article 361 protects the President and Governors from criminal prosecution while in office. The Supreme Court in P.V. Narasimha Rao v. State (1998) controversially extended legislative immunity to bribery for votes.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

The Supreme Court in Raja Ram Pal v. Speaker, Lok Sabha (2007) clarified that Parliamentary immunity under Article 105(2) does not extend to the power of expulsion of members, which remains subject to judicial review on grounds of constitutional validity.

Synonyms

exemptionprivilegeprotectionindemnityimpunityshield

Antonyms

liabilityaccountabilityexposurevulnerability

🌱 Word Family

immune (adjective), immunise (verb), immunisation (noun), immunology (noun), impunity (cognate noun)

🔡 Root

Latin immunitas ← immunis (exempt) ← in- (not) + munus (duty, service, obligation)

📜 Etymology

From Latin immunitas (exemption from public service or charges), derived from immunis (exempt from duty). In Roman law, munus meant a public duty or burden; immunis was the person free from it. The medical sense (resistance to disease) developed in the 19th century; the legal sense is older.

🧠 Memory Hook

IMMUNITY = IM-MUNITY: NOT having the MUNI (duty/burden) placed on you. Your body is immune to a virus — it bears no burden from it. A legislator with immunity bears no legal burden for legislative speech.

📝 Seen in UPSC Question Papers

Prelims 2022 — Internal Security
Prelims 2020 — Biology
Prelims 2010 — Health

Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Immunity” — proof this word earns its place on your list.

⚖️ Polity & Constitution 📖 Seen in: Preamble of the Indian Constitution

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