Article 51 ('Promotion of international peace and security') is a Directive Principle of State Policy in Part IV. While Article 37 declares that Part IV principles are not directly enforceable by courts like Fundamental Rights, it mandates that they are 'fundamental in the governance of the country' and places a constitutional duty on the Union and State governments to apply them when making laws and public welfare schemes.
Incorporated into Part IV-A by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment (1976) on the recommendations of the Swaran Singh Committee—with the 11th duty added by the 86th Amendment (2002)—Article 51A reminds us that rights and duties are two sides of the same constitutional coin.
It enumerates 11 specific civic responsibilities (Clauses a to k): (a) Abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals, the National Flag, and the National Anthem; (b) Cherish the noble ideals of the freedom struggle; (c) Uphold the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India; (d) Defend the country and render national service when called; (e) Promote harmony and renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women; (f) Value and preserve our rich composite culture; (g) Protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife, and have compassion for living creatures; (h) Develop scientific temper, humanism, and the spirit of inquiry and reform; (i) Safeguard public property and abjure violence; (j) Strive towards excellence in all spheres; and (k) Provide opportunities for education to children aged 6 to 14 years.
Article 52 deals with 'The President of India' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: There shall be a President of India.
Article 53 deals with 'Executive power of the Union' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: (1) The executive power of the Union shall be vested in the President and shall be exercised by him either directly or through officers subordinate to him in accordance with this Constitution. (2) Without prejudice to the generality of...
Article 54 deals with 'Election of President' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: The President shall be elected by the members of an electoral college consisting of— (a) the elected members of both Houses of Parliament; and (b) the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the States. Explanation.—In...
Article 55 deals with 'Manner of election of President' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: (1) As far as practicable, there shall be uniformity in the scale of representation of the different States at the election of the President. (2) For the purpose of securing such uniformity among the States inter se as well as parity...
Article 56 deals with 'Term of office of President' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: (1) The President shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office: Provided that— (a) the President may, by writing under his hand addressed to the Vice-President, resign his office; (b)...
Article 57 deals with 'Eligibility for re-election' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: A person who holds, or who has held, office as President shall, subject to the other provisions of this Constitution, be eligible for re-election to that office.
Article 58 deals with 'Qualifications for election as President' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: (1) No person shall be eligible for election as President unless he— (a) is a citizen of India, (b) has completed the age of thirty-five years, and (c) is qualified for election as a member of the House of the People. (2) A...
Article 59 deals with 'Conditions of President's office' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: (1) The President shall not be a member of either House of Parliament or of a House of the Legislature of any State, and if a member of either House of Parliament or of a House of the Legislature of any State be elected President, he shall...
Article 60 deals with 'Oath or affirmation by the President' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: Every President and every person acting as President or discharging the functions of the President shall, before entering upon his office, make and subscribe in the presence of the Chief Justice of India or, in his absence, the senior-most...
Article 61 deals with 'Procedure for impeachment of the President' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: (1) When a President is to be impeached for violation of the Constitution, the charge shall be preferred by either House of Parliament. (2) No such charge shall be preferred unless— (a) the proposal to prefer such charge is contained...
Article 62 deals with 'Time of holding election to fill vacancy in the office of President and the term of office of person elected to fill casual vacancy' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: (1) An election to fill a vacancy caused by the expiration of the term of office of President shall be completed before the expiration of the term. (2) An election to fill a vacancy in the office of President occurring by reason of his...
Article 63 deals with 'The Vice-President of India' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: There shall be a Vice-President of India.
Article 64 deals with 'The Vice-President to be ex officio Chairman of the Council of States' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: The Vice-President shall be ex officio Chairman of the Council of States and shall not hold any other office of profit: Provided that during any period when the VicePresident acts as President or discharges the functions of the President...
Article 65 deals with 'The Vice-President to act as President or to discharge his functions during casual vacancies in the office, or during the absence, of President' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: (1) In the event of the occurrence of any vacancy in the office of the President by reason of his death, resignation or removal, or otherwise, the Vice-President shall act as President until the date on which a new President elected in...
Article 66 deals with 'Election of Vice - President' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: (1) The Vice-President shall be elected by the members of an electoral college consisting of the members of both Houses of Parliament in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote and...
Article 67 deals with 'Term of office of Vice-President' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: The Vice-President shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office: Provided that — (a) a Vice-President may, by writing under his hand addressed to the President, resign his office; (b)...
Article 68 deals with 'Time of holding election to fill vacancy in the office of Vice-President and the term of office of person elected to fill casual vacancy' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: (1) An election to fill a vacancy caused by the expiration of the term of office of Vice-President shall be completed before the expiration of the term. (2) An election to fill a vacancy in the office of VicePresident occurring by reason...
Article 69 deals with 'Oath or affirmation by the Vice-President' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: Every Vice-President shall, before entering upon his office, make and subscribe before the President, or some person appointed in that behalf by him, an oath or affirmation in the following form, that is to say — “I, A.B., do swear...
Article 70 deals with 'Discharge of President's functions in other contingencies' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: Parliament may make such provisions as it thinks fit for the discharge of the functions of the President in any contingency not provided for in this Chapter.
Article 71 deals with 'Matters relating to, or connected with, the election of a President or Vice-President' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: (1) All doubts and disputes arising out of or in connection with the election of a President or Vice - President shall be inquired into and decided by the Supreme Court whose decision shall be final. (2) If the election of a person as...
Article 72 vests the President of India with executive mercy power. The President can grant pardons, reprieves, respites, or remissions of punishment, or suspend, remit, or commute the sentence of any person convicted of an offence in cases involving court-martials, Union laws, or death sentences. This power is not an appellate court review, but an ultimate sovereign safety valve to temper justice with human compassion and correct undeniable miscarriages of justice.
Article 73 deals with 'Extent of executive power of the Union' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: (1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the executive power of the Union shall extend — (a) to the matters with respect to which Parliament has power to make laws; and (b) to the exercise of such rights, authority and...
Article 74 deals with 'Council of Ministers to aid and advise President' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: (1) There shall be a Council of Ministers with the Prime Minister at the head to aid and advise the President who shall, in the exercise of his functions, act in accordance with such advice: Provided that the President may require the...
Article 75 deals with 'Other provisions as to Ministers' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: (1) The Prime Minister shall be appointed by the President and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. (1A) The total number of Ministers, including the Prime Minister, in the Council...
Article 76 deals with 'Attorney-General for India' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: (1) The President shall appoint a person who is qualified to be appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court to be Attorney-General for India. (2) It shall be the duty of the Attorney-General to give advice to the Government of India upon such...
Article 77 deals with 'Conduct of business of the Government of India' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: (1) All executive action of the Government of India shall be expressed to be taken in the name of the President. (2) Orders and other instruments made and executed in the name of the President shall be authenticated in such manner as may...
Article 78 deals with 'Duties of Prime Minister as respects the furnishing of information to the President, etc' in Part V, Chapter I (The Executive). It sets out the constitutional rules governing the election, term, oath, conditions of office, or executive responsibilities of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, or Attorney-General of India. Specifically: It shall be the duty of the Prime Minister — (a) to communicate to the President all decisions of the Council of Ministers relating to the administration of the affairs of the Union and proposals for legislation; (b) to furnish such...
Article 79 governs 'Constitution of Parliament' in Part V, Chapter II (Parliament). It lays down the constitutional rulebook for how Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are constituted, how presiding officers (Speaker/Chairman) function, member qualifications/disqualifications, quorum, passage of ordinary and financial Bills, budget grants, and parliamentary privileges. Specifically: There shall be a Parliament for the Union which shall consist of the President and two Houses to be known respectively as the Council of States and the House of the People.
