What are the strengths of the Indian Constitution?

The Indian Constitution have many points and provisions of strength. Nonetheless, every article can be termed as the strength of the constitution. Some of the important points of strength are as follows:

1. Preamble

Preamble is the introductory part of the constitution. It is the mirror of the objectives of it. Preamble represents the Indian people and starts like ‘We the people …..’ It guarantees the Indian citizens liberty, equality, fraternity, socio-political-economic justice. It mentions that India is the democratic, socialistic, secular country and free out of any foreign control i.e. sovereign nation. Preamble also makes available the equality of opportunity to the Indian masses irrespective of caste, creed, religion, sex, language, region etc. Therefore, preamble is one of the strength of the constitution.

2. Administrative System / Legislation

The constitution declares the adoption of parliamentary system of government which is bicameral. It did not follow presidential system of government of U.S. and kingship like England instead, parliamentary democracy. Therefore, the people have got the right to elect their own representations from among themselves to govern them with benevolent governance.

3. One Person – One Vote

This is very strong from provision of our constitution that every person who is going to have the right to vote will have to discharge one vote only. At the same time the value of the one vote will be one only. Every citizen who have got the right to adult fanchise (18 years and above) that may be a common labour and one who is an industrialist will have to execute only one vote. The value of their vote also is same that is one. Why this is important because previously the right to vote was given on the basis of educational qualification, amount of wealth and only to man. Therefore, the provision of ‘one person, one vote; one vote-one value’ is the major strength of the constitution.

4. Provision of Fundamental Rights

Our Indian constitution have regarded that every human beings have certain born rights. ‘To live and let live’ as a fundamental right is one of the milestone in the lives of Indians. Because since centuries together certain part of Indian society was totally segregated from enjoying the human rights. Every person has got the rights to go in the court of law against the violation of fundamental rights and seek justice.

5. Single Citizenship

In a pluralistic Indian society in general and multi-regional in particular, the single citizenship of the country only and not of the state again is important plus point of our constitution. Otherwise every state will have their own narrow loyalties and the Citizen only will abide by the state and defy the loyalty to the nation. Hence for unity of the nation this is also one of the important strength of the constitution.

6. Guiding Principles

Due to legal instructions to the central and state government about the administrative policy, the people could get good governance. Though one can not go in the courts against the violation of the Directive Principles, the state governments are themselves supposed to follow those instructions to get them to the power in the next tenure. Therefore, the governments at State and Union have to be benevolent to their subject.

7. Supremacy of the Constitution

Regarding any legal dispute, contemporary problems the government is advised to study constitution. Whatever the provisions of the constitution are to be re-interpreted, reviewed by the Supreme Court as its custodian. There is no supremacy over the subject of any King, or President or Prime Minister and vice versa.

8. Powerful Union Government

In the case of External Threat (war) and the national and state level constitutional break down, the centre has got the right to dissolve the government Even fundamental Rights are also frozen by the union government in the pretext of national emergency. The rule, regulation, act or resolution of the central government is supreme to the state government. It is the strength of the constitution because the states (28 states) may have their personal biasness against each other and against the central government can create chaotic conditions and there could be anarchy-like situation.

9. Flexibility and Rigidity

The Constitution has provided for itself to amend the articles according to the existing and future socio-eco-political conditions and make changes, and certain provisions or even make deletions. At the same time basic structure of the Constitution based on Equality, liberty, fraternity, justice can not be altered in any case. Otherwise there could be the rule of despotism.

10. Secular Nation

The Constitution have provided and specified that there is no state religion and India is a secular country. It is not pro-religious, non- religious and anti-religious. It mean there will be no place for any religion while executing the law and the law will not oppose any religion for the sake of other religion. In India like multi-religious country this principle of secularism becomes one of the strength of the Indian constitution.