Won't be mute spectator if corruption cases are found: CM Siddaramaiah
Gadag, Dec 17: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said his government will not be a mute spectator to corruption and will initiate action against the corrupt.
He said investigations are underway in '40 per cent commission' cases against the previous government and steps will be taken against the guilty.
"If any cases of corruption are found in the state, the government will not be a mute spectator. An investigation will be conducted and action will be taken against the culprits," the chief minister said.
When asked about officials of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation demanding bribes from drivers to put them on duty, Siddaramaiah said an investigation against them would be conducted.
To a question on the allegations that the caste census was unscientific, the chief minister said the Backward Classes Commission has not submitted its report, yet some people are already commenting that the report is not scientific.
"Such statements are based on speculation without knowing the contents of the report. Let the report be submitted," he said.
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SC upholds inclusion of ‘secular, socialist’ in Preamble of Constitution
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the inclusion of the words ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ in the Preamble of the Constitution, confirming their retrospective application from November 26, 1949. The court ruled that the power to amend the Constitution under Article 368 extends to the Preamble, which is an integral part of the document.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna stated, “The power under Article 368 cannot be curtailed. It will equally apply to the Preamble.” The 42nd Constitutional Amendment, which introduced these terms in 1976 during the Emergency, was challenged on grounds of its retrospective application and the lack of states’ ratification.
The petitioners, including BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, argued that the amendment forced a particular economic theory on the nation and violated the original intent of the Constitution. Advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay contended that the Preamble reflects the will of the people at the time of adoption in 1949 and is therefore unalterable.
The court dismissed these objections, affirming that both socialism and secularism are part of the Constitution's Basic Structure. The Bench clarified that socialism refers to a welfare state ensuring equality of opportunity without negating private sector participation or individualism. It emphasised that secularism is embedded in the Constitution, particularly in the principles of equality and fraternity.
Chief Justice Khanna remarked, “Secularism has always been a core feature of the Constitution.” He added that the amendment did not impose socialism as dogma but aligned with the welfare goals enshrined in various constitutional provisions.
