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Meaning of Article 25 of the Indian Constitution
Meaning of Article 25 of the Indian Constitution

It is through several provisions that the Indian Constitution upholds the spirit of secularism. The Article 25 is one of the pillars of fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution. The relevance of this legislation can be gauged only when one understands the importance of preserving the pluralistic ethos of the country and the idea of harmonious coexistence of different religions.   Meaning and Scope of Article 25 The Article 25 states that every individual is “equally entitled to freedom of conscience” and has the right “to profess, practice and propagate religion” of one’s choice. Practicing religion or [...]Read more

Indian Constitution: Election-Related Provisions
Different Articles in the Indian Constitution

Laws pertaining to the elections in India are contained in Part XV of the Indian Constitution. The provisions mentioned in the Articles (324 to 329) cover all aspects of conducting elections starting from inclusion of names in electoral roll to formulation of laws pertaining to elections. Article 324 – Superintendence, Direction and Control of Elections The Election Commission (EC) of India is the only entity that has been given the authority to supervise, direct and control elections. According to Article 324, the Election Commission should comprise the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other Election Commissioners, who will [...]Read more

Fundamental Rights of India
Fundamental Rights of Indian Citizens

As a liberal democracy and proponent of people’s empowerment, India guarantees a set of rights considered essential to “preserve human dignity”. The Fundamental Rights, as embedded in the Indian Constitution, ensure equal and fair treatment of the citizens before the law. However, these rights are not absolute and are subject to restrictions under peculiar circumstances. Right to Equality Right to equality is considered the foundation upon which the edifice of other rights and liberties is built. While Article 14 guarantees equal treatment of all people before the law, Article 15 eliminates the scope for discrimination of any [...]Read more

Article 12 of Indian Constitution – Meaning of ‘State’
Article 12 of Indian constitution , meaning of 'state'

According to Article 12 of the Constitution of India, the term ‘State’ can be used to denote the union and state governments, the Parliament and state legislatures and all local or other authorities within the territory of India or under the control of the Indian government. Over a period of time, the Supreme Court has expanded the ambit of ‘State’ to include Corporations such as LIC and ONGC since they perform tasks “very close to governmental or sovereign functions”. In fact, the term ‘State’ also accommodates any authority that’s created by the Constitution of India and has [...]Read more

Civic Body Elections Process
Civic Body Elections in india

In India, the Lok Sabha and the state Assembly polls are considered the festivals of democracy. But elections to the civic bodies too carry considerable significance for the political parties and the electorate. The concept of local self-government that was proposed in the late 19thcentury by the then Viceroy of India, Lord Ripon, is still in force in India. That’s manifested in the form of municipal governance. The local government in every state is democratically elected and it comes under the purview of the state or the provincial government. The Constitution has vested in state governments the [...]Read more

State Versus Union Territory in India
State Versus Union Territory in India

Before delving into the difference between states and union territories (UTs), it’s imperative to understand why these UTs were formed in the first place and what was the concept behind establishing a territory, distinct from the state. Why Union Territories were Formed ? As far as history goes, the union territories were either not a part of India during independence or they were too small to be made into a state as per the provision of the Constitution. During the discussion on reorganisation of states in 1956, the States Reorganisation Commission recommended creation of a different category [...]Read more

Assembly Elections and Government Formation
Assembly Elections and Government Formation

It’s not just the rise of regional parties that has accentuated the importance of Assembly elections. The rise of regional aspirations and a divide between national and regional goals have long started to decide the fate of a political entity. While Lok Sabha elections give us the macro-level view of where each party stands, the Assembly elections provide us a micro-level understanding of which political parties are garnering maximum support. Assembly Elections: A decisive factor for Lok Sabha Elections From national parties such as Congress and BJP to single-state and multi-state parties, Assembly elections keep every political [...]Read more

Political Parties in India and their Ideologies
Political Parties in India and their Ideologies

The only factor that explains the mushrooming growth of political parties in India is the difference in ideology. While some of them are pro-liberalisation, some are anti-capitalism. The ideological differences also exist in the social sphere with some political factions swearing by Hindu nationalism and the rest seem quite content with progressive westernisation. It is this multiplicity of ideologies and their practitioners that make Indian politics a difficult yet an interesting case study. Communist Parties in India The communist parties are known for their ‘anti-business’ ideology. Perennially a proponent of subsidies, minority appeasement and preservation of human [...]Read more

Article 16 of Indian Constitution
Article 16 of Indian Constitution

Though ‘reservation’ is an unpleasant word in contemporary Indian politics, yet architects of the Constitution had used it as a social empowerment tool for the backward classes to help them get their due place in the society and be at par with the non-backward classes. Article 16 of the Constitution is one such provision that tends to strengthen the nation’s claim of maintaining an egalitarian society.   Meaning and Purpose of Article 16 The Article guarantees equality of opportunity when it comes to public employment. The first two clauses of the Article elucidate the fact that no [...]Read more

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