The Supreme Court of India has rejected three petitions requesting the removal of the words 'secular' and 'socialist' from the Indian Constitution's Preamble. The Bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, stated that the power of Parliament to amend the Constitution extends to the Preamble as well. The court also clarified that the terms 'secular' and 'socialist' are integral to the Constitution and do not restrict the government's economic policies or private initiatives.
Preamble of the Indian Constitution: A Constitutional Mandate
The Preamble of the Indian Constitution is a concise statement of the fundamental principles and objectives of the Indian Republic. It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949, and came into effect on 26 January 1950.
The Preamble originally consisted of 89 words, which have since been amended twice. The first amendment was made in 1951 to correct a grammatical error. The second amendment was made in 1976 by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, which added the words "secular" and "socialist" to the Preamble.
Supreme Court's Ruling
In 2023, the Supreme Court of India rejected three petitions requesting the removal of the words "secular" and "socialist" from the Preamble. The Court held that the power of Parliament to amend the Constitution extends to the Preamble as well. The Court also clarified that the terms "secular" and "socialist" are integral to the Constitution and do not restrict the government's economic policies or private initiatives.
Background
The Preamble has been the subject of several controversies over the years. Some critics have argued that the Preamble is not a part of the Constitution and therefore should not be given any legal force. Others have argued that the Preamble contains idealistic and unrealistic goals that cannot be achieved in practice.
Despite these criticisms, the Preamble remains a fundamental part of the Indian Constitution. It represents the ideals that the Indian people aspire to, and it serves as a reminder of the principles that guide the nation.
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