Contents
The Constituent Assembly debated the Preamble on 17th October 1949. The debates around the Preamble revolved around the name of India and inclusion of ‘God’ and ‘Gandhi’. The Assembly adopted the Preamble as presented by the Drafting Committee.
Indian Constitution Preamble
The Indian Constitution preamble is as follows:
WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:
JUSTICE, social, economic and political; LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY 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;
IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION
Amendment in Preamble
In 1976, by 42nd Constitutional Amendment act preamble is amended. By this amendment Constitution has added three words Socialist, Secular and Integrity in preamble.
Keywords in Preamble
After the amendment, there are following keywords is in Indian Constitution preamble.
1.Sovereign (a self-governing state )
2.Socialist
3.Secular
4.Democratic (Power in the hands of people who are governed, either through direct voting or through elected representatives)
5.Republic
6.Justice
7.Liberty
8.Equality
9.Fraternity (friendship and mutual support within a group)
“Identity card of the constitution”
N. A. Palkhivala
“The preamble to our constitution express is what we had thought we
Sir Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer
dreamed so long”
“Horoscope of our constitution”
K M Munshi
- The Preamble is the most precious part of the Constitution.
- Preamble is the soul of the Constitution.
- Preamble is a key to the constitution.
- Preamble is a jewel set in the constitution.
- Preamble is a proper yardstick by which one can measure the worth of the constitution.
In the Kesavananda Bharati Case (1973), Supreme Court accepted that “Preamble is a Part of the Constitution.”
As Preamble is a part of the Constitution, So amended by article 368 but an amendment should not destroy the Basic Structure of the Constitution.