{"id":52800,"date":"2025-07-01T12:13:59","date_gmt":"2025-07-01T06:43:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=52800"},"modified":"2025-07-01T12:13:59","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T06:43:59","slug":"indias-constitution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/indias-constitution\/","title":{"rendered":"India\u2019s Constitution, Secular in Spirit, Beyond the Word"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>India\u2019s Constitution Latest News<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has criticized the Emergency-era inclusion of the words \u201csocialist\u201d and \u201csecular\u201d in the Constitution\u2019s Preamble, calling it a &#8220;sacrilege to the spirit of Sanatan&#8221;.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These terms were added via the 42nd Constitutional Amendment, which made sweeping changes to the Constitution during the Emergency.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although many of those changes were reversed by the 44th Amendment in 1978, the additions to the Preamble remain intact.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Preamble The Vision of the Constitution<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Described by the Supreme Court in In Re: The Berubari Union (1961) as \u201ca key to open the mind of the makers\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Serves as the vision statement of the Constitution, outlining its core values and purpose.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Original Preamble (1950)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Described India as a <\/span><b>\u201cSovereign Democratic Republic\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guaranteed Justice, Equality, Liberty, and Fraternity to all citizens.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Changes Introduced by the 42nd Amendment (1976)<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inserted the words: \u201cSocialist\u201d and \u201cSecular\u201d, making India a \u201cSovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Added the word \u201cintegrity\u201d to the phrase on fraternity, which now reads: \u201cassuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Other Key Provisions of the 42nd Amendment<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Introduced a new chapter on Fundamental Duties of citizens.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Added several new Directive Principles of State Policy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diluted judicial review by curbing the powers of the courts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Froze delimitation of constituencies, affecting electoral boundaries.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Reasons Behind the Changes Introduced by the 42<\/b><b>nd<\/b><b> Amendment<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Political Context: The Emergency Rule<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 42nd Amendment was enacted during the Emergency (1975\u201377) when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ruled by decree.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experts feel she wanted to reshape the Constitution to align with her ideological and political agenda.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Parliament vs Judiciary: The Land Reform Debate<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since the 1950s, a conflict between Parliament and the judiciary centered on land reform and the right to property.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Courts often upheld fundamental rights over collective socioeconomic goals, which frustrated the political class.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Why \u201cSocialist\u201d Was Added<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The them PM Indira Gandhi had taken a clear leftward shift with moves like:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bank nationalization (1969)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Abolition of privy purses (1971)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Campaigning with &#8220;Garibi Hatao&#8221; (End Poverty)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adding \u201csocialist\u201d to the Preamble signaled alignment with her economic vision.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Statement of Objects and Reasons for the amendment said this addition was meant to prioritize Directive Principles over Fundamental Rights, which were seen as hindrances to socioeconomic reform.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Why \u201cSecular\u201d Was Added<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The move wasn\u2019t directly explained, but analysts feel it occurred due to political rise of Bhartiya Jan Sangh.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indira Gandhi defended the addition by claiming the founding fathers intended India to be secular and socialist, and the amendment merely made it explicit.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Why \u201cIntegrity\u201d Was Included<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indira Gandhi\u2019s Emergency-era rhetoric focused on national unity and the threat of divisive forces.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The word \u201cintegrity\u201d was added to reinforce the idea of an indivisible nation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then Law Minister H. R. Gokhale emphasized that integrity meant maintaining the territorial and social indivisibility of the country.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Significance of These Changes<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The addition of &#8220;socialist&#8221; and &#8220;secular&#8221; to the Preamble through the 42nd Amendment was largely symbolic.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As per the Supreme Court\u2019s <\/span><b>Berubari Union (1960) ruling<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the Preamble is not a source of substantive power and not considered part of the Constitution\u2019s enforceable text<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Secularism Already Ingrained in the Constitution<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Secularism is embedded in key constitutional provisions:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Article 14 \u2013 Right to equality before the law.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Article 15 \u2013 Prohibition of discrimination based on religion, caste, sex, etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Article 16 \u2013 Equality of opportunity in public employment.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These articles reflect the inherent secular nature of the Constitution even before 1976.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Judicial Endorsement of Secularism<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>Kesavananda Bharati (1973),<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> a 13-judge bench held that secularism is a basic feature of the Constitution and cannot be removed or diluted.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>S. R. Bommai (1994)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the Supreme Court reaffirmed secularism as a cornerstone of Centre-State relations and constitutional governance.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Socialism and Directive Principles<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Minerva Mills v Union of India (1980), the SC upheld that socialism is a constitutional ideal, rooted in Part IV: Directive Principles of State Policy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court noted that framing a Socialist State aimed to ensure social, economic, and political justice.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Recent Judicial Endorsement (2024)<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In November 2024, a two-judge Bench led by then CJI Sanjiv Khanna dismissed petitions challenging the inclusion of \u201csecular\u201d and \u201csocialist\u201d in the Preamble.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court ruled that:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These additions did not restrict legislation or governance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They did not infringe on fundamental rights or alter the basic structure of the Constitution.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While added during the Emergency, the terms \u201csecular\u201d and \u201csocialist\u201d reflect values already embedded in the Constitution.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court has consistently upheld these principles as basic features, immune to dilution or removal.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b> <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-law\/indias-secular-constitution-even-without-the-word-10098508\/lite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">IE<\/a> |\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.indiatoday.in\/india\/story\/why-constitution-assembly-did-not-include-term-secular-rss-preamble-indira-gandhi-emergency-2747289-2025-06-30\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">IT<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Despite political debate, India\u2019s Constitution remains secular in spirit, with foundational rights and judicial rulings upholding its core ideals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":52847,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[1210,287,59],"class_list":{"0":"post-52800","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-indias-constitution","9":"tag-mains-article","10":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs","11":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52800","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52800"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52800\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52847"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52800"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52800"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52800"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}