Aims and Objectives of Constitution The Constitution of India begins with a Pream Preamble ble which describes the nature of the Indian State and the objectives it is committed to secure. The Preamble Preamble is the most precious precious part part and the soul of the constitution. constitution. The Preamble reads: We, the People of India having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, emocratic, !epublic and to secure to all its citi"ens# $ustice, social, economic, political# political# %iberty of thought, e&pression, belief, faith and worship# '(uality of status and opportunity# and to promote among them all# )raternity, assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation # In our Constituent Constituent *ssembly *ssembly this, twent twenty y si&th day of +ove +ovember mber -- do hereby *dopt, 'nact and /ive to ourselves this Constitution. The words 0Socialist 0Secular1 and 0Integrity were initially not there in the Prea Pr eamb mble le.. Th Thes ese e we werre ad adde ded d by th the e 2 2nd nd *m *men endm dmen entt 3 3-4 -456 56 of th the e Constitution.
Preamble: Features: Features: I. The Source of Authority: Popular Sovereinty:
The Preamble categorically accepts the principle of Popular Sovereignty. It begins with the words7 0We the people of India8. These words testify to the fact that the people of India are8 the ultimate source of all authority. The /overnment derives its power from them. II. !ature of State: The Preamble describes "ve cardinal features of the Indian state: #$% India is a Soverein State: The Preamble proclaims that India is a sovereign state. Such a proclamation denotes the end of rule over India. It testi9es to the fact that India is no longer a dependency or colony or possession of :ritish Crown. *s a sovereign independent state, India is free both internally and e&ternally to ta;e her own decisions and implement these for her people and territories. #&% India is a Socialist State: In -45, the Preamble was amended to include the word 0Socialism8. It is now regarded as a prime feature of the State. It re
#'% India is a Secular State: :y the 2nd *mendment, the term 0Secular8 was incorporated in the Preamble. Its inclusion simply made the secular nature of the Indian Constitution more e&plicit. *s a state India gives special status to no religion. There is no such thing as a state religion of India. India
guarantees e(ual freedom to all religions. *ll religions enjoy e(uality of status and respect. #(% India is a )emocratic State: The Preamble declares India to be a emocratic State. The Constitution of India provides for a democratic system. The authority of the government rests upon the sovereignty of the people. The people enjoy e(ual political rights. The people freely participate in the democratic process of self rule. They elect their government. )or all its acts, the government is responsible before the people. The people can change their government through elections. The government enjoys limited powers. It always acts under the Constitution which represents the supreme will of the people. #*% India is a +epublic: The Preamble declares India to be a !epublic. +egatively, this means that India is not ruled by a monarch or a nominated head of state. Positively, it means that India has an elected head of state who wields power for a 9&ed term. President of India is the elected sovereign head of the state. =e holds a tenure of > years. *ny Indian citi"en can get elected as the President of India. III. Four Objectives of the Indian State: The Preamble lists four cardinal objectives which are to be ?secured by the state for all its citi"ens1. These are: #$% ,ustice: India see;s to secure social, economic and political justice for its people. #i% Social ,ustice: Social $ustice means the absence of socially privileged classes in the society and no discrimination against any citi"en on grounds of caste,
creed, colour, religion, se& or place of birth. India stands for eliminating all forms of e&ploitations from the society. #ii% -conomic ,ustice: 'conomic $ustice means no discrimination between man and man on the basis of income, wealth and economic status. It stands for e(uitable distribution of wealth, economic e(uality, end of monopolistic control over means of production and distribution, decentralisation of economic resources, and securing of ade(uate opportunities to all for earning their livelihoods. #iii% Political ,ustice: Political $ustice means e(ual, free and fair opportunities to the people for participation in the political process. It stands for the grant of e(ual political rights
to all
the people
without
any discrimination. The
Constitution of India provides for a liberal democracy in which all the people have the right and freedom to participate. #&% iberty: The Preamble declares liberty to be the second cardinal objective to be secured. It includes liberty of thought, e&pression, belief, faith and worship. The grant of )undamental !ights 3Part III6 including the right to freedom is designed to secure this objective. %iberty of faith and worship is designed to strengthen the spirit of secularism. #'% -/uality: The Preamble declares -/uality as the third objective of the Constitution. -/uality means t0o basic thins: 3i6 '(uality of status i.e. natural e(uality of all persons as e(ual and free citi"ens of India enjoying e(uality before law.
3ii6 '(uality of opportunity i.e. ade(uate opportunities for all to develop. )or securing the e(uality of status and opportunity, the Constitution of India grants and guarantees the fundamental !ight to '(uality. #(% Fraternity: Promotion of )raternity among the people is the fourth objective is to promote )raternity among all the people. )raternity means the inculcation of a strong feeling of spiritual and psychological unity among the people. It is designed to secure dignity of the individual and unity and integrity of the nation. I1. )ate of Adoption and -nactment: In its 9nal paragraph, the Preamble speci9es the important historical fact that the Constitution was adopted on 25 +ovember, --. It was on this day that the Constitution received the signatures of the President of the Constituent *ssembly and was declared passed. 1. Self2made Constitution: The
Constitution of
India
is
an
adopted, enacted and
self@made
constitution. It was adopted and enacted by the Constituent *ssembly acting as the elected representative body of the people of India. The Preamble states the philosophical foundations of the Constitution India and enumerates its objectives. It constitutes a Aey for the interpretation of the Constitution. It is a part of the :asic Structure of the Constitution. Through, it8s Preamble, the Constitution a commits itself to emocracy, !epublicanism, Socialism, Secularism, %iberalism and Welfare State. The Preamble states the objectives which the Constitution is committed to secure for all the people of India.
