Supreme Court to Decide Fate of 'Secular' and 'Socialist' in Indian Constitution

The Supreme Court is set to deliver a verdict on November 25 concerning petitions challenging the inclusion of 'secular' and 'socialist' in the Indian Constitution's Preamble. Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar emphasized secularism as a constitutional cornerstone while exploring socialist interpretations within India's welfare state context.

The Supreme Court announced on Friday that it would issue a ruling on November 25 regarding petitions seeking the removal of 'secular' and 'socialist' from the Indian Constitution's Preamble. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar emphasized the interpretation of socialism as akin to a welfare state in the Indian context.

The apex court highlighted that secularism constitutes a fundamental element of the Constitution, noting that the 42nd Amendment has faced previous judicial scrutiny. The petitions, submitted by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, along with lawyers Balram Singh, Karunesh Kumar Shukla, and Ashwini Upadhyay, were under review.

During earlier discussions, the bench reiterated that secularism remains a key constitutional principle and advised against viewing 'secular' and 'socialist' strictly through a Western lens. The petitioners, including Swamy, argued that the insertion of these terms in the 1976 Amendment violated the basic structure doctrine established in the historic Kesavananda Bharati case, which limited Parliament's power to alter the Constitution's core features.

(With inputs from agencies.)