The Preamble of a constitution serves as its guiding vision, encapsulating the core principles and aspirations of a nation. The term ‘Republic’ in the Preamble is accompanied by three crucial adjectives – ‘Sovereign,’ ‘Socialist,’ and ‘Secular.’ Each of these descriptors represents a distinct facet of the Republic of India. Firstly, ‘Sovereign’ emphasizes the nation’s absolute independence and autonomy in decision-making, free from external influence. Secondly, ‘Socialist’ underscores the commitment to social justice and the equitable distribution of resources, fostering an inclusive and egalitarian society. Lastly, ‘Secular’ highlights the principle of religious neutrality, ensuring that the state remains impartial and does not endorse any specific religion. While these adjectives were carefully chosen to reflect the values of the time when the Constitution was drafted, the question arises as to whether they remain defendable in the present circumstances. In an era marked by dynamic socio-political changes and evolving global paradigms, the relevance and applicability of these adjectives demand critical examination. This discussion will delve into the contemporary context to assess the defensibility of ‘Sovereign,’ ‘Socialist,’ and ‘Secular’ as integral components of the Republic in today’s multifaceted landscape.
Tag: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
Decoding the Question:
- In the Introduction, try to write about the Preamble of the Indian Constitution.
- In Body,
- Discuss various adjectives attached to the Preamble of the Constitution.
- Write whether they are defendable in the present circumstances or not.
- In Conclusion, try to mention the overall importance of the Preamble.
Answer:
India as a republic has an elected head of the state with political sovereignty vesting with the people and public offices open to every citizen without discrimination. The preamble states that India is a sovereign, socialist, secular and democratic republic.
N.A. Palkhivala, an eminent jurist and constitutional expert, called the Preamble as the ‘identity card of the Constitution. In a republic state, the head of the State is always elected directly or indirectly for a fixed period. The term ‘republic’ in the Preamble indicates that India has an elected head called the President. He is elected indirectly for a fixed period of five years.
Adjectives Attached to the Preamble of the Constitution.
- Sovereign: The word ‘sovereign’ implies that India is neither a dependency nor a dominion of any other nation, but an independent state. There is no authority above it, and it is free to conduct its affairs (both internal and external).
- Socialist: Even before the term was added by the 42nd Amendment in 1976, the Constitution had a socialist content in the form of certain Directive Principles of State Policy. In other words, what was hitherto implicit in the Constitution has now been made explicit.
- Secular: The term ‘secular’ was added to the Indian Constitution by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976. Unlike Western secularism, the Indian Constitution embodies the positive concept of secularism, i.e., all religions in our country (irrespective of their strength) have the same status and support from the State.
- Democratic: Democratic polity is based on the doctrine of popular sovereignty, that is possession of supreme power by the people.
Whether the Adjectives of Preamble are Defendable in Present Circumstances:
- The democratic characters are evident through the periodic elections based on universal adult franchise, the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, etc. In recent times problems like corruption, the use of money, and muscle power in the elections, vote bank politics, etc., threaten the democratic system.
- Various provisions of the Constitution, like Fundamental Rights (Article 25-30) and other legal rights, ensure secularism. But there are frequent communal clashes visible in the forms of riots, love jihad, etc.
- With the emergence of various global multilateral institutions like WTO, IMF, and WB, etc. decision-making power and policy formulation is greatly influenced.
- There is a dilution of socialism after new economic policy (1991) through liberalization, privatization, and globalization
The Preamble embodies the basic philosophy and fundamental values like political, morals, and religion on which the Constitution is based. It contains the grand and noble vision of the Constitutional makers. The increasing role of money and muscle power in elections has resulted in parliamentary inefficiency, but the democratic character of India has only weakened, not destroyed. Thus it is the prime responsibility of the government to protect these values in their true sense.
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