Ideals of our constitution

Written document

• It is the most lengthy and detailed

constitutional document in the world. It

indicates the socio- political system of a huge

country with all its multiplicities.

Parliamentary system of government

• Legislature of the Central government is

known as the Parliament.

• Composed of President, Lok Sabha and Rajya

Sabha.

• Members in the house is fixed and are directly

elected by the people.

Note cards

Table of content

Board: C.B.S.E.

Grade/std: 8

th

Name of the chapter: Ideals of our

constitution

Reference book/s: Social and political life

-Ratna Sagar, and Part III- N.C.E.R.T.

Std.8

th

.

• Ideals of our constitution

• Written documents

• Federal system

• Preamble

• Fundamental rights

• Right against exploitation

• Right to freedom of religion

• Cultural and educational rights

• Right to constitutional remedies

• Fundamental duties

• Single citizenship

Federal system

Preamble

• Is federal in nature and unitary in spirit.

• Recognizes two levels of government – the

Central or Union government and State

government

• It divides the powers between the Centre and

the State governments.

• This is known as constitutional division of

power.

• Source of the constitution: "We, the people of

India" implies that the constitution derives its

authority/ source from the citizens.

• Nature of the constitution The preamble is

the soul of our constitution.

• Sovereign means free.

• Socialism refers to equality and independence

of work and livelihood.

• Secular We the citizens of the country have

every right to follow any religion we want.

• Social democracy is the idea that the

government must provide safety, security and

equality for its entire people.

• Economic democracy alludes to the idea of

transferring power form the hands of top

managers in a workplace to middle managers

and workers.

• Republic means every citizen has the right to

elect the top leaders of the country.

• Justice: Any citizen of India cannot be

discriminated against on the grounds of caste,

religion and gender.

• Liberty: We the people of India have no

unreasonable restrictions. We can think the

way we want, act the way we want, express the

way we want.

• Equality: We are all equal before the law.

There should be no discrimination on any

grounds.

• Fraternity: This refers to a spirit of

brotherhood that all Indian citizens are

expected to live by.

Preamble

Fundamental Rights

• In case a person is detained under preventive

detention he can be kept in custody for 3 months

without trial and is only a precautionary measure.

• Detention can be extended only by an Advisory

Board constituted for the purpose and consisting

of a judge of the high court.

Limitations:

• Public interest: the authority can take recourse to

public interest and refuse to disclose the grounds

of detention.

• Power of the Parliament: The Legislature has

the power to specify the maximum period of

preventive detention.

Article 21

• Protection of life and personal liberty.

Article 21 (A)

• Right to education included.

• Education free and compulsory.

• Between the age of 6 and 14 years.

Article 22

• Protection against arrest and detention.

• To be informed of his offense.

• The person cannot be kept for more than 24

hours in custody without the permission of the

magistrate.

• Right to consult a lawyer.

• Preventive detention.

Right to Equality:

• All are equal before the law. Article 14

• No discrimination. Article 15

• Equal opportunity. Article 16

• Untouchability is abolished by law. Article 17

• Raja, maharaja abolished. Article 18

Right to freedom:

• Associations, unions, move freely, reside and

settle. Practice any lawful profession any

choice.

• Legal protection to everyone.

• Guarantee to live freely and a conducive

environment. Right to Information 19 (A),

October 12

th

, 2005.

Limitations:

• Emergency: Article 19 can be suspended.

• Not absolute.

Article 20:

• Protection in Respect to conviction of offense,

protection to citizens

• Against greater penalty that what is prescribed

in the law.

• No citizen can be punished for the same

offense twice and if is accused himself he

cannot be compelled to be witness.

Fundamental Rights

Cultural and educational Rights

Right to constitutional Remedies

Article 29

• To preserve their cultural uniqueness, language,

script and literature.

Article 30

• Institutions for development of language.

Article 32:

• This right is given to the citizens to move

Supreme Court for enforcement of other

Fundamental Rights conferred to them.

• Writ- is a form of written command in the

name of a court or other legal authority to act,

or stop from acting, in a way.

Article 23 and 24

• Ban on child labour

• Mines and factories

• Bonded labour

• Weaker sections

• Minimum wage and protection of women from

domestic violence act.

Right to freedom of religion

• Article 25 to 28

• Freedom of conscience and free profession,

practice and propagation of religion.

• Freedom to manage religious affairs.

• Freedom as to payment of taxes for promotion

of any religion.

• Freedom as to attendance at religious

instruction or religious worship in certain

education institutions.

Right against Exploitation

ns

Functions

42

nd

amendment act ,1976 and inserted in the part

IV of the constitution. Article 52 –A states the

following duties of a citizen:

• To respect the constitution, national flag and

national anthem.

• To promote harmony and the spirit of common

brotherhood

• To preserve the rich heritage of our entire

culture.

• To protect and improve the natural

environment

• To safeguard public property.

• The Indian Constitution -uniform single

citizenship. -person born anywhere in India.

• No separate citizenship of the state to which

they belong.

• Every Indian - citizen of India - same rights of

citizenship.

Universal adult franchise

• Right to vote: 18 years and above irrespective

of their religion, race, caste or gender.

• Participation in government at different levels,

i.e., the Central, the State and the local levels.

Single citizenship

Fundamental duties

NOTES