Lecture 03 – Preamble, Secularism, and Part I (Articles 1-4) – Vocabulary Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering the key concepts discussed in the lecture on the Indian Constitution’s preamble, secularism, and Part I (Articles 1–4), including major cases and constitutional provisions.

Preamble

The introductory statement of the Constitution outlining its philosophy, objectives, and the nature of the state; not directly enforceable in court but guides interpretation and is part of the basic structure.

Source of Authority

Popular sovereignty; the Constitution derives its authority from the people.

Date of Adoption

Adopted on 26 November 1949; came into force on 26 January 1950; linked to the Lahore Resolution (1939/1929) and the Constituent Assembly proceedings.

Objectives (Preamble)

Justice, liberty, equality, fraternity; goals guiding governance and the state’s duties; includes social, economic, and political justice.

Sovereign

The state has supreme authority within its territory and full external autonomy in its foreign policy and defense.

Socialist (Preamble)

Commitment to social and economic justice and welfare-oriented governance; explicitly highlighted in the 42nd Amendment (1976) as part of the preamble.

Secular (Preamble)

India’s model of secularism: principled distance between state and religion, treating all religions with equal respect while allowing private practice and public life to adapt to constitutional morality.

Democratic

A system of governance based on free and fair elections where the government is elected by the people.

Republic

A sovereign state with a democratic framework; adjectives in the preamble (sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic) describe the nature of the republic.

Secularism in India (Principled Distance)

A model where the state may interfere or abstain in religious matters based on upholding liberty, equality, and fraternity, guided by constitutional morality.

Mutual Exclusion (US Model)

A model of secularism where state and religion are completely separated; no state endorsement of religion; no interference in religious matters.

France Model of Secularism

Public spaces may restrict religious symbols; religion is practiced privately; state spaces are kept strictly secular.

China Model of Secularism

State atheism with restrictions on religion; religion is controlled to maintain a secular, centralized state.

Berubari Union

1990s reference to the Berubari Union transfer question; established that preamble cannot confer power, and territorial transfers require constitutional amendments.

Presidential Reference

Power of the President to seek the Supreme Court’s advisory opinion on matters of public importance; used in Berubari and other cases.

Article 1

“India, that is Bharat, shall be a union of States.” Dual naming (India and Bharat); sets the basic federal structure of the nation.

Article 1 Clause 2

States and union territories are specified in the First Schedule.

Article 1 Clause 3

The territory of India may comprise states, union territories, or territories acquired.

Union of States

The 28 states share a federal relationship with the center; union territories are directly governed by the center.

Federation vs Union of States (Ambedkar’s View)

India is a federal polity, not formed by a treaty between states; states cannot secede; hence ‘union of states’ rather than ‘federation of states.’

First Schedule

The schedule that lists states and union territories and their territorial extents; explanations are provided in the schedule, not in the articles.

Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP)

Constitutional guidelines aimed at establishing a welfare state and guiding policy (e.g., Article 39(b), 39(c) on distribution of resources and preventing wealth concentration).

Social Justice

Fair and just treatment in social life; measures to reduce caste/class-based inequality, including reservations for Dalits, Tribals, and Other Backward Classes.

Economic Justice

Policies to reduce economic inequality, including progressive taxation and welfare schemes to ensure a meaningful life for all citizens.

Political Justice

Equity in political life, including universal adult suffrage and no discrimination in political participation; free and fair elections.

Untouchability (Article 17)

Abolition of untouchability and its practice; a key element of social justice animating constitutional rights.

Reservation (Affirmative Action)

Measures to remedy historical injustices and social disadvantage by reserving a share of education and employment opportunities for Dalits, Tribals, and other disadvantaged groups.

Aadhaar

Aadhaar is a biometric-based unique identity system used to reduce duplication and leakage in welfare programs and to enable Direct Benefit Transfer.

Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)

Direct transfer of government subsidies and benefits to beneficiaries’ bank accounts linked to Aadhaar, reducing intermediaries.

Right to Privacy (KS Puttaswamy, 2017)

Right to privacy recognized as a fundamental right under Article 21 by a nine-judge Supreme Court bench, linked to dignity and fraternity in the preamble.

Doctrine of Proportionality

The principle of choosing the least restrictive means to achieve a legitimate state objective; used to evaluate state actions affecting fundamental rights.

42nd Amendment (1976)

Added the words socialist, secular, and integrity to the preamble; later treated as part of the basic structure by the Supreme Court.

Subramanian Balaji Case (Freebies and Elections)

Supreme Court ruled that freebies can affect free and fair elections but are not bribes; directed ECI to regulate election manifestos and require clarity on funding.

Lily Thomas Case (Disqualification)

Led to immediate disqualification of convicted MPs/MLAs under Section 8(4) of the Representation of the People Act; replaced the 3-month window for appeal.