Article: Constitution Day: Brief Analysis of the Preamble of the Indian Constitution

Constitution Day: 

Brief Analysis of the Preamble of the Indian Constitution

Today we celebrate the Constitution Day, also known as ‘Samvidhan Divas’. It is celebrated to commemorate the adoption of Constitution of India. On 26 November 1949, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Constitution of India, and it came into effect on 26 January 1950. On this day it is pertinent to understand the Preamble, which is also called the introduction to the Constitution of India.

The very term 'Preamble' means an introduction to a Statute. The preamble is an introductory part of the Constitution. Therefore it is evident in the Preamble the ideals and goals which the makers of the constitution intended to achieve through the constitution. The preamble is also regarded as a key to open the mind of the makers of the Constitution which may show the general purposes for which they made several provisions in the Constitution.

The Preamble serves the following purposes:

(a) The source from which the Constitution comes is indicated viz., the people of India.

(b) The enacting clause which brings the Constitution into force is contained.

(c) The rights and freedoms which the people of India intended to secure to all citizens are declared and the basic type of government and polity which was to be established.

Therefore, it declares that the source of authority under the Constitution is the People of India and there is no subordination to any external authority.

PRINCIPLES ENSHRINED IN THE PREAMBLE

 Sovereign

The word Sovereign was inserted into the Preamble to highlight that India is not dependent on any outside authority and that both externally and internally India is a sovereign. In other words India recognizes no foreign power as its master.

Socialist

The term Socialist literally means state ownership and control of means of ownership and control of means of production, distribution, and exchange. Democratic socialism thus aims to end poverty, ignorance, disease, and inequality of opportunity.

Secular

The term Secularism means that the State treats all religions equally with equal individual rights for faith, religion or worship and does not recognize any religion as a State.

Democratic

The term democracy has been derived from the Greek root 'demos' which means 'the people': 'Kratos' stands for 'rule' or 'government'. Thus literally, democracy signifies 'the rule of the people.'

Republic

The term Republic is opposed to 'Monarchy’. The head of the State is not a hereditary monarch, thus India is a Republic. The head of the state in India is elected by the citizens of India. The Constitution of India sets up in India a 'republican form of Government', in which, the ultimate power resides in the body of the people. The President of India is the Executive Head of the State, is elected by the people and holds office for a term of five years.

Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic these are the essential means to secure to all its citizens:

JUSTICE in terms of social, economic and political;

LIBERTY in terms of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;

EQUALITY in terms of status and of opportunity;

and to promote among them all FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation.

May the constitution day instill seriousness towards the rights of every individual, irrespective religion, caste and language. Unfortunately, there are powerful forces today, tarnishing the image of our nation through promoting pan-Indian-culture in terms of one nation, one religion, one culture and one language. On this day we must resolve ourselves to go back to the core ideals of our Constitution and promote Justice, Equality, Liberty and Fraternity.

Jai Hind