Preamble
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Why 'Socialist' and 'Secular' were added to the Preamble: History, context and controversy
Explainers | Jun 27, 2025, 05:22 PM ISTThe current Preamble defines India as a "Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic". The original text simply read "Sovereign Democratic Republic". The terms "socialist" and "secular" were added via the 42nd Amendment during Indira Gandhi's Emergency rule in 1976.
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RSS leader Hosabale suggests removing 'socialist', 'secular' from Preamble, rakes up Emergency
India | Jun 27, 2025, 11:51 PM ISTRSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said the words 'socialist' and 'secular' were added to the Constitution's Preamble during the Emergency and that they were not part of the original one drafted by BR Ambedkar.
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Supreme Court rejects plea to remove 'Socialist' and 'Secularism' from Constitution's Preamble
India | Nov 25, 2024, 02:12 PM ISTThe petition challenged the legality of adding the words 'Socialist' and 'Secular' to the Preamble through the 42nd Constitutional Amendment in 1976, arguing that including these words exceeds the Parliament's power to amend the Constitution under Article 368.
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Supreme Court postpones hearing on removal of 'Secular' and 'Socialist' from Preamble to October 21
India | Aug 13, 2024, 03:54 PM ISTThe petition contended that Dr BR Ambedkar had rejected the incorporation of these words as the Constitution cannot thrust upon the citizens certain political ideologies by taking away their right to choose.
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Rajnath blasts Congress for creating fear psychosis: 'BJP will never change Constitution's Preamble'
India | May 05, 2024, 10:31 AM ISTRajnath Singh lashed out at Congress and accused it of creating "fear psychosis" over the issue of Constitution and reservation and said that the BJP government will never change the Preamble or tinker with the reservation.
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SC to hear Subramanian Swamy's plea seeking deletion of ‘Secular’, ‘Socialist’ from Preamble
India | Feb 09, 2024, 05:39 PM ISTThe words 'Socialist' and 'Secular' were inserted in the Preamble of the Constitution under the 42nd Constitutional amendment moved by the Indira Gandhi government in 1976 during Emergency.
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Reciting preamble every Saturday mandatory in govt schools of Madhya Pradesh
India | Jan 23, 2020, 03:56 PM ISTStudents in government-run schools in Madhya Pradesh will have to compulsorily read out the preamble to the Constitution during their assemblies on every Saturday starting this week, an official said on Thursday.
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Special UP Assembly session on Preamble on Nov 26
India | Nov 05, 2019, 10:48 AM ISTThe Chief Minister has also ordered holding of quiz programmes and exhibitions focusing on the Preamble of the Constitution in schools and universities. He has also ordered production of short films on all the basic duties mentioned in Article 51A.
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"Socialist" and "secular" words missing from Delhi govt Constitution Day ad, probe ordered
National | Nov 26, 2015, 04:27 PM ISTNew Delhi: The Delhi government today faced embarrassment as the words "socialist" and "secular" were missing from the Preamble text in its print advertisements on the Constitution Day, prompting the AAP dispensation to admit it
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BJP chief Amit Shah against changing Preamble, says his party respects Constitution
National | Feb 02, 2015, 07:31 AM ISTNew Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah has said that the saffron party respects the Constitution of India as it stands today, with the words ‘secular' and ‘socialist' in its Preamble.A report published
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Missing words “ secular and socialist “ from Preamble in govt ad kick up controversy
India | Jan 28, 2015, 08:22 AM ISTNew Delhi: A Republic Day advertisement, featuring the Preamble of the Constitution, issued by the Union ministry of Information & Broadcasting caused an online uproar as the words ‘secular' 'socialist' were missing.The ad used the