DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES OF STATE POLICY

 Directive + principle + state + policy which suggest that these are the principles that direct
the state when it makes policies for its people. These DPSPs act as a guideline for the state
and are needed to be taken into consideration while coming up with any new law but a citizen
cannot compel the state to follow DPSPs. Dr B.R Ambedkar while debating on Part IV
argued –

“It is the intention of this Assembly that in future both the legislature and the executive
should not merely pay lip service to these principles enacted in this part, but that they should
be made the basis of all executive and legislative action that may be taken hereafter in the
matter of the governance of the country”

List of DPSPs under Indian Constitution

Article
What it says
Number

Defines State as same as Article 12 unless the context otherwise

Article 36
defines.

Application of the Principles contained in this part. “The provisions

contained in this Part shall not be enforceable by any court, but the
Article 37 principles therein laid down are nevertheless fundamental in the
governance of the country and it shall be the duty of the State to apply
these principles in making laws.”

It authorizes the state to secure a social order for the promotion of the
Article 38
welfare of people.
 Certain principles of policies to be followed by the state. The State
shall, in particular, direct its policy towards securing

(a) that the citizens, men and women equally, have the right to an
adequate means to livelihood;

(b) that the ownership and control of the material resources of the
community are so distributed as best to subserve the common
good;

(c) that the operation of the economic system does not result in the
concentration of wealth and means of production to the common
Article 39 detriment;

(d) that there is equal pay for equal work for both men and women;

(e) that the health and strength of workers, men and women, and the
tender age of children are not abused and that citizens are not forced by
economic necessity to enter avocations unsuited to their age or
strength;

(f) that children are given opportunities and facilities to develop in a

healthy manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity and that
childhood and youth are protected against exploitation and against
moral and material abandon

Equal justice and free legal aid. The above Directive has been added by
the Constitution(42nd Amendment) Act, 1976, in order to ensure equal
Article justice which has been promised to all the citizens by the Preamble and
39A to further the guarantee of equality before law (Art.14) which has no
meaning to a poor man as long as he is unable to pay for his legal
adviser.

Article 40 Organization of village panchayats.

Article 41 Right to work, to education and to public assistance in certain cases.

Provision for just and humane conditions of work and maternity

leaves. In Bandhua Mukti Morcha v. Union of India,1984, the Supreme
Court read Art. 21 and 23 with such Directive Principles as Arts. 39 (e)
and (f) and Arts. 41 and 42 to secure the release of bonded labour and
free them from exploitation. The Court has observed in this connection:
Article 42 “This right to with human dignity enshrined in Article 21 derives its
life breath from the Directive Principles of State Policy and particularly
Articles 41 and 42” It is not only the question of release of bonded
labour but also of their proper rehabilitation after release. The Supreme
Court has insisted upon effective rehabilitation of the freed bonded
labour families.

Living wage etc. for workers. This Article makes it a ‘reasonable

restriction’ upon the freedom of business under Art.19(1)(g) to provide
Article 43
that an employer must pay a minimum bonus to his workmen even in a
year in which loss has been sustained.

Article
Participation of workers in management of industries.
43-A

Article
Promotion of cooperative societies.
43-B

Article 44 Uniform civil code for the citizens.

The objective of this Article is to effect national integration by bringing

all communities on the common platform on matters which are at
 present governed by diverse personal laws, e.g., marriage, divorce,
maintenance. It is based on the concept that there is no necessary
connection between religion and personal law in a civilized society,
(Sarla Mudgal vs. Union of India, 1995) The Supreme Court has
repeatedly regretted that Art.44 has so long as remained a dead letter
and recommended early legislation to implement it. A common civil
code will help the cause of national integration by removing the
contradictions based on ideologies.

Provision for early childhood care and education to children below the
age of six years. The Directive does not empower the State to override
the fundamental right of minority communities to establish educational
Article 45 institutions of their own choice under Art.30(1). It is possible for the
State to discharge its obligation under the present Article through
Government owned and aided schools, Kerala Education Bill, 1957,
AIR 1958

Promotion of education and economic interests of SC, ST, and other

weaker sections. The provision in Art.15(4) is to be read along with
this Directive. Art.15(4) uses the expression ‘backward class’ while
the present Article uses the expression ‘weaker sections’, it would be
legitimate to infer that the expression ‘weaker sections’ refers to
Article 46
sections of people who, though they do not belong to the Scheduled
Castes or Tribes, suffer from backwardness similar to that of the
Scheduled Castes and Tribes, owing to educational and economic
reasons.28 “Weaker section” is a wider expression and includes
“backward classes”.

Article 47 Duty of the state to raise the level of nutrition and the standard of
living and to improve public health and the State shall endeavour to
 bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medicinal
purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to
health.

Organization of agriculture and animal husbandry. Under Art. 48,

a total ban on cow – slaughter is possible and this position has been
accepted by the Supreme Court in Qureshi (Mohd. Hanif Qureshi vs.
Article 48
State of Bihar, AIR 1958). Also refer notes given under Article 19 on
cow slaughter with special emphasis on case of State of Gujarat v
Mirzapur Moti Kureshi (2006)

Protection and improvement of environment and safeguarding of

forests and wildlife. The Supreme Court has clarified that whenever a
problem of ecology is brought before the Court, it is bound to keep in
mind Arts. 48–A and 51 A (g) and cannot leave the matter entirely to
the government. In M.C.Mehta vs. Union of India,2002 the Court has
observed: “Articles 39(e), 47 and 48A by themselves and collectively
Article
cast a duty on the state to secure the health of the people, improve
48-A
public health and protect and improve the environment”.
Notwithstanding adequate laws being in place, the Administration did
not show much concern about environmental pollution. Accordingly,
the Supreme Court has had to take an active interest in the area. Two
principles, viz. “Precautionary Principle” and the “Polluter Pays
Principle” have been developed by the Supreme Court.

Article 49 Protection of monuments and places and objects of national

importance.

In M.C. Mehta v. Union of India,2002, the Supreme Court has issued

several direction in order to protect Taj Mahal from deterioration on
 account of environmental pollution.

Article 50 Separation of judiciary from the executive.

Article 51 Promotion of international peace and security.

Reflection of Preamble

The Preamble of the Constitution is called the key to the mind of the drafters of the
Constitution. It lays down the objectives that our Constitution seeks to achieve. The founding
fathers were aware of the drawbacks; the country had been suffering from such as poverty
unemployment, lack of education, social, economic, and political backwardness. They in
order to eradicate these evils, set forth in the very preamble, the ideals and objectives to be
achieved. The expression “Justice- social, economic, political” is sought to be achieved
through DPSPs. DPSPs are incorporated to attain the ultimate ideals of preamble i.e. Justice,
Liberty, Equality and fraternity. Moreover, it also embodies the idea of the welfare state
which India was deprived of under colonial rule.

DPSPs are positive obligations on the state. The true nature and the justiciability can be
determined by the authority of Article 37 which clearly mentions that the entire part IV will
not be of enforceable nature. The reason for the unenforceability to part IV is because when
the Indian nation achieved independence the social and economic condition of the Indian
state was not well, and therefore it was not possible of creating directive principles of
the state policy to be enforceable, but they were made an integral part to guide the Indian
governments towards the constitutional goals. DPSPs were not made justiciable because India
did not have sufficient financial resources. Moreover, its backwardness and diversity were
also a hindrance in implementing these principles at that time. At the time of the drafting of
the Constitution, India was a newly born independent state and was struggling with other
issues and making DPSPs justiciable would have put India in great difficulty.

Judicial Pronouncements on interrelation b/w FR and DPSPs

The question that whether Fundamental Rights precede DPSPs or latter takes precedence over
former has been the subject of debate for years. There are judicial pronouncements which
settle this dispute.

State of Madras vs Champakan  (AIR 1951 SC 226), the Apex Court was of the view that if a
law contravenes a Fundamental right, it would be void but the same is not with the DPSPs. It
shows that Fundamental rights are on a higher pedestal than DPSPs.

In  Kerala Education Bill (1957) (1959 1 SCR 995) Court said that in case of conflict between
Fundamental Right and DPSPs, the principle of harmonious construction should be applied.
But still after applying the doctrines of interpretation, there is a conflict between fundamental
right and DPSPs, then the former should be upheld.

In I. C. Golaknath vs State Of Punjab,1967, The Court was of the view that Fundamental
rights cannot be curtailed by the law made by the parliament.

Article 31-C and Directive Principles:25th Amendment inserted A-31-C, which protected
any law made with respect to the directives to the state and contravened the fundamental
rights, the amendment also barred the judicial review of the courts with respect to such law.
Art. 31-C was added by the Constitution (25th Amendment) Act, 1971. The amendment
has considerably enhanced the importance of the directive principles. The object of the
amendment as stated in the objects clause of the Bill was that this was enacted to get
over the difficulties placed in the way of giving effect to the directive principles of State
policy. The first part of Article 31-C provides that no law which is intended to give
effect to the Directive Principles contained in Art. 39 (b) and (c) shall be deemed to be
void on the ground that it is inconsistent with or takes away or abridges any of the
rights conferred by Article 14, or 19. The second part of Art. 31-C provided that “no
law containing a declaration that it is for giving effect to such policy can be called in
question on the ground that it does not in fact give effect to such policy”. The validity of
first part of Article 31-C was upheld in the Fundamental Rights case, Keshavnanda
Bharati vs the State of Kerala (1973) , but the second part of this Article, which barred
the judicial scrutiny of such laws, was struck down as unconstitutional. The 42nd
Constitution Amendment,1976 widened the scope of Article 31C to cover all the directive
principles laid down in the Constitution. Prior to the Amendment Article 31C saved
only those laws which gave effect to the Directive Principles of State Policy specified in
Article 39(b) and 39(c). Thus, whereas the 25th Amendment gave primacy to Directive
Principles contained in Art. 39(b) and (c) over the Fundamental Rights in Arts. 14, 19
or 31, the 42nd Amendment gave precedence to all the Directive Principles over the
Fundamental Rights guaranteed in Articles 14, 19 or 31 of the Constitution. To give
absolute primacy to one over the other is to disturb the harmony of the Constitution
which is the essential feature of the basic structure. The Court held that the unamended
Art .31-C is valid as it does not destroy any of the basic features of the constitution. The
unamended Art 31-C gives protection to defined and limited categories of laws, i.e.
specified in Arts. 39(b) and (c). They are vital for the welfare of the people and do not
violate Arts. 14 and 19. In fact, far from destroying the basic structure, such laws, if
passed bona fide, for giving effect to the directives in Arts. 39(b) and (c) will fortify that
structure. The court held that the doctrine of harmonious construction should be
applied because neither of the two has precedence to each other. Both are
complementary therefore they are needed to be balanced.

In Unnikrishnan vs State of Andhra Pradesh (1993) The Court was of the view that
Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles are not exclusive to each other therefore they
should not be read in exclusion. Moreover, the Court said that the Fundamental Rights are the
means through which the goals enumerated in Part IV are achieved.

In Bandhua Mukti Morcha, the Court referred to Articles 39(d) and (e), 41 and 42 to infuse
substantive content into the dignitarian principle underlying Article 21’s guarantee of the
right to life – and many of the substantive rights that the Court was to subsequently read into
Article 21 were located within this dignitarian foundation. In Olga Tellis vs. Bombay
Municipal Corporation, AIR 1986 Court used the same technique (relying upon Articles
39(a) and 41) to read right to livelihood under the right to life. The Supreme Court has
observed in Olga Tellis, that since the Directive Principles are fundamental in the
governance of the country they must, therefore, be regarded as equally fundamental to
the understanding and interpretation of the meaning and content of Fundamental
Right.
DPSPs and Amendments

For amending the Directive Principles of State Policies, the Constitutional amendment is
required.

((31-C and amendments are already discussed above)) The 42nd Constitutional

Amendment 1976, made following changes in DPSPs.

 It added clause (f) in Article 39: To secure opportunities for the healthy development
of children
 It added Article 39-A which makes it the duty of the state to provide for equal justice
and free legal aid. By the virtue of this Article, Parliament came up with the law
called the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
 It also added Article 48A which deals with the protection and improvement of
environments. The Water Pollution, Air Pollution, Environmental Pollution Acts, The
Forest Act etc demonstrate the application of the principles laid down in Article 48A.

B) 44th Constitutional Amendment, 1978 added Article 38 clause (2) which directs the state
to minimize inequalities in income, to eliminate inequalities in status, facilities and
opportunities, not only amongst individuals but also amongst groups of people residing in
different areas or engaged in different vocations.

C) 73rd Constitutional Amendment, 1992 which brought Panchayats in Part IX of the

Constitution had its genesis in Article 40 of the constitution. It deals with the Organization of
village Panchayats.

D) 86th Constitutional Amendment, 2002 inserted Article 21-A in the Constitution of India. It

provides Right to free and compulsory education of all children in the age group of six to
fourteen years as a Fundamental Right. The roots of this amendment are in Article 41 which
talks about Right to work, to education and to public assistance in certain cases and Art 45.

DPSP and Implementation or Enforceability

Although the implementation of the principles laid down in Part IV are not directly visible
yet there are numerous laws and government policies which reflect the application of the
principle of Part IV. In the Judicial History of India, many laws and legal provisions were
created by judicial reasoning. In such cases, DPSPs played a vital role and the courts took the
directive principles into consideration very cautiously.

 Land reform laws

 The Planning Commission was established in 1950 to take up the development of the
country in a planned manner. The successive Five Year Plans aimed at securing socio-
economic justice and reducing inequalities of income, status and opportunities.
 The Minimum Wages Act (1948), the Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act
(1986), the Bonded Labour System Abolition Act (1976), etc. have been enacted to
protect the interests of the labor sections.
 The Maternity Benefit Act (1961) and the Equal Remuneration Act (1976) - to protect
the interests of women workers.
 Laws such as the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986 bolster the
canons of Article 39(g) which deals with the protection of children.
 The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, The
Water and Air Acts have been enacted.
 Three-tier Panchayati raj system has been introduced by the 73rd Amendment Act
(1992).
 The Ancient and Historical Monument and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act
(1951) 
 Laws to prohibit the slaughter of cows, calves, and bullocks have been enacted in
some states.
 The Legal Services Authorities Act (1987) has established a nation-wide network to
provide free and competent legal aid to the poor and to organise lok adalats for
promoting equal justice.
 Policies like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
(MGNREGA) get their authority from Article 39(a) which talks about the right to
adequate means of livelihood. 
 For raising the standard of living (Article 47), a number of programs are in place,
namely Integrated Rural Development Program (IRDP), Integrated Tribal
Development Program (ITDP), and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna.
  Laws pertaining to prohibition of slaughter of cows and bullocks get their sanctity
from Article 48 which deals with the organization of agriculture and husbandry.
 Laws such as Workmen Compensation Act, Minimum Wages Act, Industrial
Employment (Standing Orders) Act, The Factories Act, Maternity Benefit Act depict
the implementation of Article 41, Article 42 and Article 43A.

Government Policies such as Integrated Rural Development Program (IRDP), Integrated

Tribal Development Program (ITDP), and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana etc. are the
reflections of the principle objectives enumerated in Article 47 which talks about raising the
standard of living and to improve public health.

Distinction between fundamental rights and directive principles of state policy

1) Directive principles of State

1) Fundamental Rights
Policy
2) Defined in Part III
2) Defined in Part IV

3) Fundamental rights are enforceable 3) Directive principles of State

through courts of law. (justiciable)
policy are not enforceable (non-
justiciable). The Directives
require to be implemented by
legislation, and so long as
there is no law carrying out
the policy laid down in a
Directive neither the State nor
the individual can violate any
existing law or legal right
under colour of following a
Directive.

4) Fundamental rights prohibit the state 4) Directives are affirmative

from doing certain things. instruction to the State to do
certain things.
5) Civil and political rights are
predominant in fundamental rights.
6) Contravention of any fundamental
rights can be rescinded by the court.
7) Courts can strike down an act of
Government violative of any
fundamental right and can enforce the
right against the Government.
8) Fundamental Rights do not require any
legislation for their implementation.
They are automatically enforced.
9) Promote Individual welfare
5) Economic and social rights are
predominant in the directive
principle
6) The courts cannot declare any
law as void on the ground that it
contravenes any of the directive
principles. The Courts are not
competent to compel the
government to carry out any
Directive.
7) Directives do no confer upon or
take away any legislative power
from the appropriate legislature.
8) Directive Principles require
legislation for their
implementation. They are not
automatically enforced.
9) Promote Social welfare