News Desk, AnyTV, New Delhi
Published by: Abhishek Dixit
Updated Mon, 21 Feb 2022 07:49 PM IST
Summary
Kumar said before a bench of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice MM Sundaresh that the stand of the central government in the matter needs to be known. There is no such provision in the Constitution which says that Part IV (A) of the Constitution is not enforceable.
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Kumar said before a bench of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice MM Sundaresh that the stand of the central government in the matter needs to be known. There is no such provision in the Constitution which says that Part IV (A) of the Constitution is not enforceable. This part was added to the Constitution in 1977, as duties were derived from the Fundamental Rights. The petition said that former CJI Ranganath Mishra had written a letter to the Supreme Court in 1998. Which was later converted into a petition.
In 2003, the Supreme Court had directed the Center to consider and take appropriate steps to implement the recommendations of the report of the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution. The report accepted the suggestion of Justice JS Verma Committee on the conduct of Fundamental Duties of citizens and their early implementation.
The committee had made several recommendations to the central and state governments to sensitize people and create general awareness among citizens about fundamental duties. However, despite the aforesaid recommendations and directions of this Court, the necessary proper sensitization, full operation and enforcement of Fundamental Duties has not happened and remains an elusive goal.
Referring to the statements of PM Modi, Naidu and former CJI
The petition also cited the recent statements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, former CJI Ranjan Gogoi and SA Bobde. The importance of fundamental duties for citizens was underlined in these statements. The petitioner argued that there is a need to invoke the fundamental duty in view of the new trend of illegal tendency to protest. Under the guise of freedom of speech and expression, the government is being forced to accede to the demands by blocking roads and railways and damaging public properties.
Those who seek rights should also be aware of their duties
It was said in the petition that it is necessary for those who seek Fundamental Rights to be aware of their duties as well. The purpose of Fundamental Duties is to make a constant reminder to every citizen that for the fundamental rights that they have been given by the Constitution, it is necessary to follow some democratic conduct and some basic norms of democratic behavior. Fundamental rights and duties are interlinked.