The Constitution of India: A Commemorative Edition on 50 Years of Indian Constitution

The present volume is divided into five parts. Division one is reproduction of the Constitution of India as amended uptodate and incorporates all the amendments upto the Constitution (Seventy-eighth Amendment) Act, 1995. Division two inter alia contains extracts of some historic speeches made in the Constituent Assembly of India and also includes other important documents as well as photographs. Division three lists all the amendments to the Constitution of India and summarises them for the benefit of the reader. Extracts of statements of objects and reasons, where appropriate, have also been given. Division four consists of 37 topics on select constitutional issues and would hopefully generate constructive debate with the ultimate goal of acting as a catalyst to help strengthen democracy, rule of law and independence of the judiciary. This part is patterned more on the lines of "cases and materials" combined with analytical approach to the issues. As far as possible, current developments and case law have been taken into consideration. In all, there is a reference to 139 cases. The study is academic in nature and where appropriate, suggestions have been made for suitable constitutional amendments. The topics have been arranged in the order in which constitutional provisions figure. Ensuring stability of the Government and avoiding frequent dissolution of Lok Sabha is one of the key issues requiring urgent consideration. Hung Lok Sabha and domination of coalition politics has given rise to new concerns. The role of caretaker government, the feasibility of a national government, conflict between legislature and judiciary, doctrine of separation of powers, removal of judges, reservations for women under article 16 and status of minority educational institutions are some of the important issues addressed in division four. An overview of the constitutional amendments inter alia gives salient features of all the constitution amendment bills pending in Parliament as on December 23, 1999. Text of Constitution (Amendment) Acts is given in division five. The present study is aimed at a scientific and legal examination of some select constitutional issues. Expression of views and suggestions made in bona fide in the sense that these are perceived by the author to be either in the larger interests of the society or based on a constructive interpretation of provisions of the Constitution. It in no way amounts to expression of a political preference on any given issue.