Read the following passage and answer the questions from 111 - 115:
The Constitution of India came into force on January 26, 1950. It is a comprehensive document. Apart from dealing with the structure of Government, the Constitution makes detailed provisions for the rights of citizens and other persons in a number of entrenched provisions and for the principles to be followed by the State in the governance of the country, labelled as ”Directive Principles of State Policy”. All public authorities - legisla- tive, administrative and judicial derive their powers directly or indirectly from the Constitution which in turn derives its authority from the people. The freedoms under Article 19 are those great and basic rights which are recognized as the natural rights inherent in the status of a citizen. At the same time, none of these freedoms are absolute but subject to reasonable restrictions specified under sub-clauses (2) to (6) of Article 19 of Indian Constitution. The Sub-committee on Fundamental Rights constituted by the Constituent Assembly suggested two types of Fundamental Rights - one which can be enforced in the Courts of law and the other which because of their different nature cannot be enforced in the law courts. Later on, however, the former were put under the head ‘Fundamental Rights’ as Part III and the later were put separately in Part IV of the Constitution under the heading ‘Directive Principles of State Policy’. The Articles included in Part IV of the Constitution (Articles 36 to 51) contain certain Directives which are the guidelines for the Government to lead the country. Article 37 provides that the ‘provisions contained in this part (i) shall not be enforceable by any Court, but the principles therein laid down are nevertheless (ii) fundamental in the governance of the country and it shall be the duty of the state to apply these principles in making laws. Article 51A imposes the fundamental duties on every citizen of India Since the duties are imposed upon the citizens and not upon the States, legislation is necessary for their implementation. Fundamental duties can’t be enforced by writs.
Enforceability of Fundamental Rights and Fundamental Duties:
Under the Indian Constitution, Fundamental Rights are guaranteed to citizens and are enforceable by the courts. Citizens can approach the judiciary by invoking writ jurisdiction to seek protection and enforcement of these rights. This means that if a Fundamental Right is violated, an individual has the legal remedy to challenge it in court.
On the other hand, Fundamental Duties, as outlined in Article 51A, are moral obligations imposed on citizens to promote a spirit of patriotism and uphold the unity of the country. These duties are not legally enforceable in the same way as Fundamental Rights. Courts cannot enforce Fundamental Duties through writs or legal proceedings.
Therefore, while Fundamental Rights are legally enforceable and can be invoked through writ jurisdiction, Fundamental Duties are not enforceable by courts but serve as guiding principles for responsible citizenship.
Conclusion:
Fundamental Rights are enforceable through writ jurisdiction. Fundamental Duties are non-enforceable moral obligations and cannot be legally enforced by courts.