AGI KK Venugopal's support sought by the Supreme Court

AGI KK Venugopal's support sought by the Supreme Court

He would advise on the Justice JS Verma Committee report accepted by the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution

The Supreme Court has sought the assistance of Attorney General KK Venugopal in a writ petition seeking to sensitize the citizens about the fundamental duties enshrined in the Constitution of India.

A bench comprising Justice SK Kaul and Justice MM Sundresh sought the Central government's response on whether any steps were taken in pursuance of the top court's judgment in the case of the former Chief Justice Rangnath Mishra vs the Union of India and Ors.

Therein, directions were issued to the Centre to consider and take appropriate steps expeditiously for the implementation of the recommendations of Justice JS Verma Committee's report on the operationalization of the fundamental duties included in the Indian Constitution.

The bench also asked the Central government if it proposed to take any steps in furtherance of the judgment thereof. The matter would be heard on 4 April 2022.

The petition had argued that the non-adherence of the fundamental duties had a direct bearing upon the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Indian Constitution.

The bench observed that the reliefs claimed in the petition might fall within the domain of the political dispensation. On enquiring, what exactly was the nature of the relief sought, senior advocate Ranjit Kumar submitted that the enforcement of the judgment in the Justice Rangnath Mishra case was sought. He said that the government should be asked to inform the court of the steps taken to enforce the directions.

Thereafter, the apex court issued a notice and sought the assistance of the Attorney General of India.

Supreme Court's directions in the Rangnath Mishra case:

In the judgment, the court had asked the Central government to consider the recommendations of the Justice Verma Committee. The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC) had accepted the report.

Following that, NCRWC made the following recommendations regarding the mode and the manner to be adopted for generating awareness and consciousness of the citizens towards their fundamental duties:

• The Union and the state governments have to sensitize people and create general awareness of the provisions of the fundamental duties amongst the citizens on the lines recommended by the Justice Verma Committee.

• Consideration should be given to the ways and means by which the fundamental duties could be popularized and made effective.

• The right to freedom of religion and the right of the minorities and fellow citizens should be respected.

• The reform of the whole process of education is of an immediate and immense need, as is the need to free it from governmental or political control; it is only through education that it will be inculcated.

• The duty to vote in the elections and actively participate in the democratic process of governance and pay taxes should be included.

• The significance of the dignity of the individual in all its facets and the objective of overall development of the personality of the individual must be emphasized in the curriculum at all the stages of education.

• Methods must be devised to operationalize this concept as a constitutional value in the educational curriculum and in co-curricular activities in schools and colleges.