1Section 1 of 1About 1 min
Constitutional Position
- The original Constitution did not contain Fundamental Duties of citizens.
- The Constitution originally contained Fundamental Rights for individuals and Directive Principles of State Policy laying down duties and goals for the State.
- Fundamental Duties were inserted during the Internal Emergency period of 1975-1977.
- The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976 inserted Fundamental Duties into the Constitution.
- The 42nd Amendment added Part IVA, consisting of Article 51A.
- Article 51A originally contained 10 Fundamental Duties.
- The 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002 added the eleventh Fundamental Duty relating to educational opportunities for children.
- India currently has 11 Fundamental Duties.
- Fundamental Duties were inspired by the Constitution of the erstwhile USSR.
- The source contrasts this with major democratic constitutions such as those of the USA, Canada, France, Germany and Australia, which did not specifically enumerate such a list.
- The Japanese Constitution is identified in the source as a notable democratic constitution containing duties of citizens.