Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday said the signed copy of the Constitution by its framers carrying 22 miniatures is the only authentic copy and can only include amendments by Parliament, and the same should be promulgated in the country. Any violation should be taken seriously by the government and severe action taken, he added. "I have no doubt and I am categorical, the Constitution signed by the founding fathers of the Constitution, carrying 22 miniatures, is the only authentic one and it can include amendments by the Parliament. If there is any change effected by judiciary or any institution, it is not acceptable to this House. "I will appeal to the leader of the House to ensure that in the country, only the authentic version of the Indian Constitution be promulgated. Any violation of this should be taken quite seriously by the government and severe action taken," Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said in the House. The Chairman was responding to the issue raised by BJP M
The Congress on Thursday said a uniform civil code as envisaged in Article 44 of the Constitution can only come about after widespread discussion with the objective of building a genuine consensus and cannot become a political instrument designed to keep the country in a state of "permanent polarisation". The opposition party's assertion comes days after the BJP government in Uttarakhand implemented the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state and the Gujarat government formed a committee under a retired Supreme Court judge to assess the need for the UCC in the state as well as prepare a draft bill for the same. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the Uttarakhand UCC is a poorly drafted piece of legislation that is highly intrusive. "It is not an instrument of legal reform in the slightest as there is nothing that addresses the actual concerns expressed with regard to family law over the last decade. It has been forcibly imposed as an integral part of
Constitution remains a guarantor of Indian democracy despite the efforts of those who seek to undermine it
In a scathing attack on the BJP-led Centre, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged on Sunday that a hateful agenda, immersed in religious fundamentalism, has sought to divide the society over the last 10 years and every sacred tenet of the Constitution is being "shredded into pieces by an authoritarian regime". He claimed that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) practises pseudo-nationalism by making disadvantaged youngsters carry the flag of "nationalism" and "religious supremacy", but does nothing to get them employment. In his message to the nation on the 76th Republic Day, Kharge said it is high time that people preserved and protected the ideas and ideals of the Constitution -- justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. "We uphold the values espoused by our founders. Be ready to make every sacrifice to protect the Constitution. This will be the true tribute to our ancestors," Kharge said. He said it is also time to reflect upon how the country is witnessing constant
India's Republic Day holds historical and symbolic values as the country adopted its constitution on this day. Here are long and short speeches and essays in English for students for the occasion
Currently, the 22nd Amendment limits US Presidents to two terms, barring Trump or any other former president from seeking a third term
The Defence Ministry is offering online and offline tickets and several places are also being set up across the national capital. Here's how you can buy tickets
The Constitution Reform Commission on Wednesday submitted its report to interim government chief Muhammad Yunus, proposing the replacement of the state principles of secularism, socialism and nationalism. The commission set up by the Yunus administration, after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina as prime minister following a mass agitation led by students, also proposed a bicameral parliament for the country and a two-term limit on a premier's tenure. The three principles are among the four enshrined as fundamental principles of state policy in the country's constitution. Under the new proposals, only one -- democracy, remains unchanged. We are proposing five state principles -- equality, human dignity, social justice, pluralism, and democracy -- for reflection of the great ideals of the 1971 Liberation War and the people's aspiration during the 2024 mass upsurge, commission chairman Ali Riaz said in a video statement. The report kept democracy alone in the constitution's preamble alongsi
The Supreme Court has said that the right to property is a constitutional right and an individual cannot be deprived of his property without him being paid adequate compensation in accordance with the law. A bench of justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan said the right to property ceased to be a fundamental right due to the Constitution (Forty-Fourth Amendment) Act, 1978, however, it continues to be a human right in a welfare state and a constitutional right under Article 300-A of the Constitution. Article 300-A of the Constitution provides that no person shall be deprived of his property, save by authority of law. The apex court delivered its verdict on Thursday on an appeal challenging a November 2022 judgement of the Karnataka High Court in a matter pertaining to land acquisition for the Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor Project (BMICP). "As discussed hereinabove, though the right to property is no more a fundamental right, in view of the provisions of Article 300-A of t
The Congress on Thursday announced a 13-month-long political campaign, including padyatras, to raise issues such as the alleged attack on the Constitution as well as people's concerns over price rise and corruption. The party also called for a major organisational overhaul based on accountability and capability starting immediately and running through the next year. These decisions were taken at the extended Congress Working Committee meeting -- 'Nav Satyagraha Baithak' -- to mark 100 years of Mahatma Gandhi assuming the presidentship of the party at the Belgaum session. Two resolutions were passed by the CWC -- one on Mahatma Gandhi and the other was a political one. Top Congress leaders, including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, general secretaries Jairam Ramesh and K C Venugopal, among others, were in Belagavi to attend the "historic" meeting. Adressing reporters along with Congress general secretary in-charge (communications) Jairam Ramesh and
Amit Shah contrasts BJP's and Congress' approaches to Constitutional amendments
Even a good constitution can prove to be bad if those implementing it are not good, Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha J P Nadda said on Tuesday, asserting the "bad lot" interfered with the Indian Constitution many times. Participating in a discussion on the "Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India", Nadda attacked the Congress over the Emergency, amendment to the Preamble of the Constitution and also raised the Article 370 issue. He said the nation is indebted to the members of the Constituent Assembly who shaped the Constitution. "As the prime minister said, India is not just the largest democracy, but the mother of democracy. The architects of our Constitution knew this is not a nation in the making, it was always a nation," said Nadda, who is also the BJP president. "As per Indian ethos, democracy comprises freedom, acceptability, equality, inclusivity and allowing citizens to lead a dignified life," he said. The BJP leader quoted B R Ambedkar to say "how
Parliament winter session 2024 updates: After Lok Sabha, two-day discussion on Constitution to begin in Rajya Sabha from today; catch all LIVE updates
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said the Congress party carried out major amendments to the Constitution to brazenly help the "family" and the "dynasty". She also termed the Congress party as "anti-women" for not passing the Women's Reservation Bill under pressure of its coalition partners. Initiating the discussion on the 'Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India' in the Rajya Sabha, the senior BJP leader said the economic policies of the previous Congress governments for about 50 years did not strengthen the Indian economy. "Each time the Congress brazenly (amended Constitution)... only to help the family, the dynasty... kept amending the Constitution," she said. Citing various amendments, including the 42nd Constitutional Amendment and one related to the Shah Bano case, the Finance Minister said none of the amendments passed the test of four criteria -- economic good, social intent, due process, and constitutional spirit. She said the amendments w
Development, nationalism, security, welfare of the people and affirmative government schemes have to be viewed only from the "one prism" of the Preamble of the Constitution, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said on Monday. In his address at an event here to mark the 7th Defence Estate Day, he also referred to his position on the dais, where he was flanked by the director general of the Defence Estate on his right and the secretary of ex-servicemen welfare department on his left. "When I occupied the central seat here (dais), I was reminded of my position as chairman of Rajya Sabha. When I sit in the chair (in Rajya Sabha), on my right is the government, on the left is the opposition", he said. Here, on the right, is DG, Defence Estate, "I am sure, I have no problem with him" and "fortunately for me, on my left" is the secretary, department of ex-servicemen welfare, "constructive, directional, motivational, always helpful", the VP said in an apparent reference to the opposition. "I .
The biggest example of its success is the continued peaceful transition of power, reflecting the people's will
On Friday, the debate on the Constitution witnessed fiery speeches of Defence Minister Singh and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra
Rajnath says Congress always chose power over Constitution, draws counter from Priyanka Gandhi
Senior BJP Leader Rajnath Singh on Friday said the contribution of several leaders in the making of the Constitution was deliberately ignored and hit out at the Congress, asserting that a particular party always tried to "hijack and appropriate" the framing of the Constitution. The defence minister initiated the debate in the Lok Sabha as the House took up a two-day 'Discussion on the glorious journey of 75 years of the Constitution of India'. He pointed out that the Constitution had talked about religious freedom and it had been specified that the state will not have a religion and will be secular. "This was stated by those who were dubbed communal by the people of the Congress," he said. Singh said the Constitution was an expression of the general will of the people. "Our Constitution touches upon social, economic, political, cultural life and shows the way for nation building. It is a roadmap to giving India its place in the world stage... It is the outcome of a series of ...
A special discussion on the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution is being held in Lok Sabha on Friday and Saturday