Question

Which of the statement(s) is/are correct about the Preamble of the Indian Constitution?

(i) The Preamble declares India to be a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic.

(ii) The words "Socialist" and "Secular" were part of the original Constitution of 1950.

(iii) The Preamble is considered an integral part of the stitution.

(iv) The Preamble can be amended under Article 368.

• A. Options (i), (ii) and (iii) are correct
• B. Options (ii) and (iii) are correct
• C. Options (i), (iii) and (iv) are correct
• D. All of the above

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Options (i), (iii) and (iv) are correct

(i) The Preamble declares India to be a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic.

• This is the current and complete description of the Indian state as laid out in the Preamble.

• The words "Socialist," "Secular," and "Integrity" were added by the 42nd Amendment Act of 1976.
  

(iii) The Preamble is considered an integral part of the Constitution.

• In the landmark Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973) case, the Supreme Court of India reversed its earlier stand (from the Berubari Union case) and held that the Preamble is an integral part of the Constitution.
  

(iv) The Preamble can be amended under Article 368.

• The Supreme Court in the Kesavananda Bharati case ruled that while the Preamble is part of the Constitution and can be amended under Article 368, the basic structure of the Constitution, as defined in the Preamble, cannot be altered.

• The 42nd Amendment of 1976 is a practical example of this, as it amended the Preamble by adding words without changing its fundamental character.
  

• The words "Socialist," "Secular," and "Integrity" were not in the original Preamble.

• They were added later by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976.