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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday claimed NRC was the real intent behind the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Speaking to reporters after garlanding the statue of BR Ambedkar at Red Road on the occasion of Constitution Day, Banerjee said the citizenship of people is being questioned after so many years of Independence. In a post on X earlier in the day, she said that when democracy is at stake, secularism is in an "endangered situation", and federalism is "being bulldozed", people must protect the valuable guidance that the Constitution provides. Banerjee said the Constitution is the backbone of the nation, masterfully weaving together the diversity of India's cultures, languages, and communities. "Today, on this Constitution Day, I pay my deepest respect and tribute to the great Constitution that we have, to the great document that binds us in India. I also pay my tribute today to the visionary framers of our Constitution, especially Dr BR
The Bar occupies an indispensable place in fortifying the rule of law and upholding the sanctity of the Constitution, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said on Wednesday while also stressing its importance in providing legal aid to the vulnerable and the marginalised. Addressing a gathering at a Constitution Day function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association, the CJI said the judiciary has repeatedly acknowledged the invaluable role of the Bar in safeguarding its virtues. "When we celebrate the pivotal moment when the people of India gifted unto themselves their most fundamental covenant, I stand before you and must emphasise that the Bar occupies an indispensable place in fortifying the rule of law and upholding the sanctity of our Constitution... "I do not hesitate in saying that if the courts are regarded as the sentinel of the Constitution, then the members of the Bar are the torchbearers who illuminate our path. They help us discharge our solemn duty with clarity and .
Taking a swipe at the RSS-BJP on Constitution Day, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday alleged that the Sangh's role was to attack and undermine it, and that role had been taken forward by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah "who have been subverting constitutional principles in a calculated manner". Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the RSS "had no role whatsoever" in the making of the Constitution "On Saturday, November 26 1949, the Constituent Assembly met at 10 AM with Dr. Rajendra Prasad in the Chair. Before formally putting the motion for the adoption of the draft Constitution of India that had been moved by Dr. Ambedkar the previous day to the vote, Dr Rajendra Prasad made his remarks," Ramesh recalled. "In his speech explaining the background to and highlights of the Draft that was soon to be adopted, Dr. Rajendra Prasad recalled: 'The method which the Constituent Assembly adopted in connection with the ...
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged citizens to fulfil their Constitutional duties, asserting that these were foundations for a strong democracy. In a letter to citizens on Constitution Day, the prime minister also stressed the responsibility of strengthening democracy by exercising the right to vote, and suggested that schools and colleges celebrate Constitution Day by honouring first-time voters turning 18. Modi recalled Mahatma Gandhi's belief that rights flow from the performance of duties, stressing that fulfilling duties is the foundation for social and economic progress. He underscored that the policies and decisions taken today will shape the lives of generations to come, and urged citizens to place their duties foremost in their minds as India moves towards the vision of a Viksit Bharat. Our Constitution gives utmost importance to human dignity, equality and liberty. While it empowers us with rights, it also reminds us of our duties as citizens, which we should
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday paid homage to B R Ambedkar, Rajendra Prasad and all the members of the Constituent Assembly on Constitution day, underlining that the Constitution provides every citizen with equal opportunity and rights to pave the way for strong nation-building. In a message on 'X' in Hindi, Shah said,"On this Constitution Day, | pay homage to Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Ji, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Ji, along with all the great members of the Constituent Assembly, and extend my heartfelt greetings to the fellow citizens." "The Constitution of India, the world's largest democracy, provides every citizen with equal opportunities, a life of dignity, national duties, and rights, thereby paving the way for strong nation-building," he wrote. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has initiated Constitution Day and worked to make the citizens more aware of democratic values, Shah said. Constitution Day or Samvidhan Divas commemorates the official adoption of the Indian ..
The Congress on Tuesday recalled that BR Ambedkar had moved the resolution in the Constituent Assembly 76 years ago for the formal adoption of the draft Constitution and claimed that Ambedkar as well as the Constitution were then subject to a "ferocious assault" by the RSS which has continued since. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh also recalled that in his closing speech before moving the resolution, Ambedkar had hailed the role of the Congress in drafting the Constitution. Today, exactly 76 years ago, Dr. Ambedkar moved the resolution in the Constituent Assembly for the formal adoption of the Draft Constitution of India, he said. "Ambedkar's closing speech on that occasion is undoubtedly one of the greatest ever made by anybody anywhere in the 20th century," Ramesh said on X. "During the initial part of his speech, Dr. Ambedkar had said this: 'The task of the Drafting Committee would have been a very difficult one if this Constituent Assembly had
The Constitution has ensured the country remains strong and united while neighbouring nations are facing civil unrest and turmoil, Chief Justice of India Bhushan Gavai said on Sunday. Speaking after inaugurating a court building in Mandangad taluka in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district, the CJI expressed happiness that it has come up in an area that also contains Ambavde, the native village of the Constitution's chief architect and legendary social reformer Babasaheb Ambedkar. "The country has remained united and on the path of development in war and peace. We have seen internal Emergency as well but we have remained strong and united. It is because of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution, which sets us apart from neighbouring countries that are witnessing turmoil," Justice Gavai said. Civil unrest in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and most recently in Nepal have seen change in governments as well as large-scale distress to citizens due to rioting and arson. "In the last 22 years as a judge,
Violent unrest in neighbouring Nepal and the constitutional breakdown in Bangladesh last year found mention in the Supreme Court on Wednesday. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai, hearing the presidential reference on whether the court could impose timelines for governors and the president to deal with Bills passed by assemblies, made the remarks during the day-long hearing. "We are proud of our Constitution. See what is happening in our neighbouring states. Nepal, we saw" the CJI remarked. "Yes, Bangladesh also," Justice Vikram Nath said, while referring to similar protests that plagued Bangladesh last year. Nepalese Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli resigned in the face of massive anti-government demonstrations on Tuesday, shortly after hundreds of agitators entered his office demanding his resignation for the death of at least 19 people in police action during Monday's protests over corruption and a social media ban.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will only interpret the Constitution while dealing with the Presidential reference on whether the court could impose timelines for governors and President to deal with bills passed by state assemblies. The remark by a five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice BR Gavai came when Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said if senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for parties opposing the reference, is going to rely on examples of constitutional provisions which concerned Andhra Pradesh, among others, then he needs to file a reply, as he has not argued on those aspects. Mehta told a bench also comprising Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath, PS Narasimha and AS Chandurkar, "If they (Tamil Nadu and Kerala governments) are going to rely on examples of Andhra Pradesh etc ... we would like to file a reply on this. Since, we need to show how the Constitution was taken on a joyride since its inception... let us see if we want to travel down that dirty path." CJI
Article 32 of the Constitution empowers the court to reopen sentencing in cases of capital punishment on grounds of breach of procedural safeguards, the Supreme Court said on Monday while agreeing to hear again a death row convict's plea. Vasant Sampat Dupare, who belongs to Nagpur, was convicted of raping and killing a four-year-old in April 2008. He lured her with chocolates and crushed her head with stones to avoid identification of the body. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sanjay Karol and Sandeep Mehta allowed the convict's plea filed under Article 32 noting that there had been a breach of procedural safeguards. It also cited the 2022 Manoj Vs Madhya Pradesh judgement in which the top court issued several guidelines and mandated the trial courts to collect the accused's psychiatric and psychological evaluation report before awarding death. "We hold that Article 32 of the Constitution empowers this court in cases related to capital punishment to reopen the sentencing stage whe