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Reviewers won't maul Ambedkar's Constitution, promises Advani

Union Home Minister L K Advani has clarified that the Commission for Constitutional Review would not tinker with the essential ingredients of the present Constitution.

Speaking in Patna, Advani dismissed as misinformation talks that the Centre was aiming to scrap the Constitution and adopt an entirely different one.

The home minister said the basic and unilateral features of Dr B R Ambedkar's Constitution, identified by the Supreme Court in the Keshavanand Bharati judgment like its supremacy, rule of law, sovereign, democratic and republican structure, judicial review, unity and integrity, secularism and free and fair election, would strictly be adhered to.

Secularism and reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes would be further strengthened.

Advani said the review had become a necessity in view of the nation's sustained growth in the last 50 years.

Article 368 of the Constitution provided for amendment. The home minister said those who tried to propagate that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government was seeking to undo the good work done by Dr Ambedkar would do well to study his views in this regard -- he himself had commended the provision.

Advani said reviewers would deal with three points in detail:

1. Should the Indian political system be as centralised as it is now, or should a process of decentralisation be consciously undertaken so that the states and local bodies are given greater powers and resources?

2. India's Constitution-makers chose the parliamentary system of governance and not the presidential form. But considering the present stage of India's development, which of these systems would serve us better?

3. While adopting part XV of the Constitution relating to elections, the constituent assembly had in mind the kind prevalent in the United Kingdom. Most of Europe have their legislatures elected by the list system. Some like Germany have accepted a mixed system. Should India, too, after 12 general elections, have a second look at its electoral system?

Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, who spoke before Advani, said this was an appropriate time for reviewing the Constitution. He said if this opportunity was missed, India would not get another chance to bring about 'necessary changes for the development of all sections of the society, irrespective of caste, creed and religion'.

UNI

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