Why in news
The Supreme Court is hearing petitions challenging the inclusion of "socialist" and "secular" in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution.
The case involves former Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy and others who argue against the 1976 amendment that added these terms.
What SC Said
The Supreme Court affirmed that secularism is a fundamental part of the Constitution's Basic Structure.
Justices emphasized that secularism is indicated by the rights to equality and fraternity outlined in the Constitution.
Justice Sanjiv Khanna disagreed with claims that "socialism" limits personal liberty, suggesting it can also promote equal opportunities and wealth distribution.
The court noted that the Preamble was amended in 1976 during the Emergency, adding the terms "socialist" and "secular" and changing "unity of the nation" to "unity and integrity of the nation."
Past judgments, including the landmark Kesavananda Bharati case, established that the Preamble is integral to the Constitution and subject to amendments as long as the Basic Structure remains intact.
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