{"id":37584,"date":"2025-02-18T18:56:07","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T13:26:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=37584"},"modified":"2025-02-18T20:30:09","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T15:00:09","slug":"constitutional-morality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/18-02-2025\/constitutional-morality","title":{"rendered":"Constitutional Morality"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Polity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In the recent past, our constitutional courts have embraced the polysemous concept of \u2018constitutional morality\u2019 as a tool to interpret and as a test to adjudicate upon the constitutional validity of statutes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About the Constitutional Morality<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is a fundamental principle that guides <strong>democratic governance<\/strong> <strong>and legal interpretation<\/strong> in constitutional democracies.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It signifies adherence to the core values <strong>enshrined in the Constitution<\/strong>, ensuring justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The term <strong>\u2018Constitutional Morality\u2019<\/strong> has gained prominence in India, particularly through judicial pronouncements interpreting the Indian Constitution in a progressive manner.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Origins of Constitutional Morality<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The term \u2018Constitutional Morality\u2019 was first articulated by <strong>British historian George Grote<\/strong> in his work <strong>\u2018A History of Greece\u2019<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Grote used the \u2018Constitutional Morality\u2019 phrase to describe the reverence for the <strong>forms and procedures of the constitution<\/strong>, emphasizing the <strong>importance of public reason, self-restraint, and critique<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>According to Grote, constitutional morality implies the <strong>habits and norms <\/strong>necessary to preserve a constitutional system <strong>beyond its written provisions.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In <strong>Indian Context<\/strong>, <strong>Dr. B.R. Ambedkar <\/strong>invoked the concept of constitutional morality during the <strong>Constituent Assembly debates in 1948<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>He emphasized that democracy in India would require the establishment and diffusion of constitutional morality to ensure a free and peaceable society.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He argued that constitutional morality was not a natural sentiment but a necessary ideal for the functioning of a democratic polity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td colspan=\"2\"><strong>Pros &amp; Cons of Constitutional Morality<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&#8211; Upholding Fundamental Rights &amp; Duties<br>&#8211; Promoting Social Justice<br>&#8211; Ensuring Accountability<br>&#8211; Adapting to Changing Societal Values<br>&#8211; Strengthening Democracy<\/td><td>&#8211; Subjectivity and Ambiguity<br>&#8211; Judicial Overreach<br>&#8211; Clash with Religious and Traditional Beliefs<br>&#8211; Conflict with Public Morality<br>&#8211; Complexity and Legal Uncertainty<br>&#8211; Majoritarian Influence<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Nuances of Constitutional Morality in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Balancing Individual Rights and Societal Norms: <\/strong>Constitutional morality often requires striking a balance between individual freedoms and collective interests.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It ensures that laws uphold fundamental rights, even when they challenge traditional or majoritarian viewpoints.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Role in Democratic Governance:<\/strong> Ambedkar highlighted that constitutional morality is crucial for sustaining democracy.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It prevents the tyranny of the majority and ensures that the Constitution remains the guiding force rather than the whims of transient political powers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Evolving Nature of Constitutional Morality:<\/strong> Since constitutional morality is not a static concept, it evolves with time, societal progress, and judicial interpretations.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Issues like LGBTQ+ rights, gender justice, and privacy have expanded the dimensions of constitutional morality in India.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Judicial Interpretations and Expansion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Kesavananda Bharati Case (1973):<\/strong> Three out of Thirteen Judges referred to \u2018basic structure doctrine itself is relatable to Constitutional morality\u2019.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017):<\/strong> The Supreme Court upheld the right to privacy as a fundamental right, interpreting it as an essential aspect of constitutional morality.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India (2018):<\/strong> The Supreme Court decriminalized <strong>Section 377<\/strong>, reiterating that constitutional morality prevails over societal morality.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Naz Foundation v. Government of NCT of Delhi (2009):<\/strong> The Delhi High Court invoked constitutional morality to <strong>decriminalize homosexuality under Section 377 of the IPC<\/strong>, emphasizing dignity and individual rights.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sabarimala Temple Entry Case (2018)<\/strong>: The Court upheld women&#8217;s right to worship, ruling that constitutional morality ensures equality and non-discrimination, even in matters of religious tradition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Joseph Shine vs. Union of India (2018) Case: <\/strong>SC invoked constitutional morality to <strong>strike down the criminalization of adultery,<\/strong> emphasizing the need for a progressive interpretation of constitutional values.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion and Way Ahead<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Constitutional morality has become a focal point of debates on various pressing issues, such as the rights of sexual minorities, women&#8217;s entry into temples, the limits of free speech, and the balance between national security and civil liberties.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Constitutional morality is a vital concept that underscores the importance of upholding the principles and values enshrined in a constitution, and it continues to evolve, reflecting the dynamic nature of constitutional interpretation and the changing societal values.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As India navigates the complexities of modern governance, constitutional morality remains a guiding principle for ensuring justice, equality, and liberty for all citizens.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Daily Mains Practice Question<\/strong><br><strong>[Q]<\/strong> How does the concept of constitutional morality influence contemporary judicial interpretations and societal values in India, and what are the potential benefits and challenges of relying on constitutional morality as a guiding principle for governance?<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/specials\/text-and-context\/constitutional-morality-the-origins-and-nuances-of-the-concept\/article69229696.ece\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Source: TH<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/UPSC-Editorial-Analysis-18-February-2025.pdf.pdf\">Download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the recent past, our constitutional courts have embraced the polysemous concept of \u2018constitutional morality\u2019 as a tool to interpret and as a test to adjudicate upon the constitutional validity of statutes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-37584","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial-analysis"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37584","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37584"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37584\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37590,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37584\/revisions\/37590"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37584"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37584"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37584"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}