Secularism is unamendable: SC

Supreme Court of India recently reaffirmed that secularism is an integral part of the Constitution's basic structure and is unamendable.

Court's Ruling: A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Sanjay Kumar stated that secularism has always been considered a core feature of the Indian Constitution.

Petition: The ruling came in response to a plea by former Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy and others, challenging the inclusion of these words.

Significance: The court emphasized that secularism is unique to India and different from Western models, highlighting its importance in maintaining equality and fraternity.

What is "secular" and "socialist” in the Indian Constitution? The terms "secular" and "socialist" were added to the Indian Constitution's Preamble by the 42nd Amendment Act in 1976 during the tenure of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

42nd Amendment Act (1976): This amendment is often referred to as the "Mini Constitution" because it brought extensive changes to the Constitution.

Secular: India's secular nature means that the State does not favour or discriminate against any religion. It promotes a principle of equal treatment and freedom of religion.

Socialist: This term reflects India's commitment to social equity and justice.

It emphasizes reducing inequality in wealth, income, and status, and ensuring that resources are distributed for the collective welfare of all citizens. Significance: These terms underline the ethos of the Indian state, reinforcing the principles of equality, social justice, and respect for all religions.