Directive Principles

Directive Principles are classified under the following categories: Economic and Socialistic, Political and Administrative, Justice and Legal, Environmental, Protection of Monuments, Peace and Security.

Also, the Directive Principles of State Policy in the Irish Constitution were looked upon by the people of India as an inspiration for the independent Indian Government to comprehensively tackle complex social and economic challenges across a vast, diverse nation and population.

In 1928, the Nehru Commission composing of representatives of all Indian political parties, proposed constitutional reforms for India that apart from calling for dominion status for India and elections under universal suffrage, would guarantee rights deemed fundamental, representation for religious and ethnic minorities, and limit the powers of the government.

In 1931, the Indian National Congress (the largest Indian political party of the time) adopted resolutions committing itself to the defence of fundamental civil rights, as well as socio-economic rights such as the minimum wage and the abolition of untouchability and serfdom,[4] committing themselves to socialism & Gandhian philosophy.

A notable development during that period having significant effect on the Indian constitution took place on 10 December 1948 when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and called upon all member States to adopt these rights in their respective constitutions.

The State should work to prevent the concentration of wealth and means of production in a few hands, and try to ensure that ownership and control of the material resources is distributed to best serve the common good.

Children should be allowed to develop in a healthy manner and should be protected against exploitation and against moral and material abandonment per Article 39.

The State shall endeavour to provide the right to work, to education and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement, within the limits of economic capacity per Article 41 as well as provide for just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief per Article 42.

The State should also ensure a living wage and proper working conditions for workers, with full enjoyment of leisure and social and cultural activities.

It should also organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines by improving breeds and prohibiting the slaughter of cows, calves, other milch and draught cattle per Article 48.

[16] Several Land Reform Acts were enacted to provide ownership rights to poor farmers.

[20] The Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana was launched in 2001 to attain the objective of gainful employment for the rural poor.

[23][24] Legal aid at the expense of the State has been made compulsory in all cases pertaining to criminal law, if the accused is too poor to engage a lawyer.

India, in the past has condemned all acts of aggression and has also supported the United Nations' peace-keeping activities.

India played a key role in the passing of a UN resolution in 2003, which envisaged better co-operation between the Security Council and the troop-contributing countries.

[8] However the judiciary is failing dismally in this respect by causing inordinate delay considering time of rendering justice in a case arbitrarily is its constitutional liberty.

[27] Changes in Directive Principles require a Constitutional amendment which has to be passed by a special majority of both houses of the Parliament.