The Constitution of India lays down the fundamental rights of citizens, as well as the directive principles of state policy. The need for Fundamental Rights is underscored by the fact that they are a necessary check and balance against the arbitrary exercise of power by the State. The significance of Directive Principles lies in their role as a guide to governance. While these principles are not enforceable in a court of law, they provide an important yardstick against which government action can be measured. In this blog post, we will discuss the classification of Directive Principles and their importance for Indian democracy.

What are the derivative principles?

The Directive Principles of State Policy in the Constitution of India are a set of guidelines issued by the government that are not enforceable by law but need to be adhered to by the state. These principles lay down the framework and goals for socio-economic development in India. They cover a wide range of topics such as education, health, housing, environment, and social welfare.

The need for Fundamental Rights is to protect the individual from the state. They are a set of negative rights that place limits on what the state can do.

What is the significance of Directive Principles of State Policy?

The significance of Directive Principles of State Policy is that they need to be followed by the state in order to establish a just society. They are based on the need for Fundamental Rights and aim to promote the welfare of the people.

How can directive principles be classified?

Directive Principles of State Policy are classified into two categories: social and economic.

Social Directive Principles:

Social directive principles need to be followed in order to establish a just society. These principles are based on the need for Fundamental Rights and aim to promote the welfare of the people.

Economic Directive Principles:

Economic directive principles need to be followed in order to establish a just economy. These principles are based on the need for economic rights and aim to promote the economic development of the country.

Other Classification of Directive Principles

Yes, the directive principles can be classified in some other ways also. They can be classified as the socialistic, Gandhian, and liberal principles.

Socialistic directive principles need to be followed in order to establish a just society. These principles are based on the need for Fundamental Rights and aim to promote the welfare of the people.

Gandhian Directive Principles:

The Gandhian directive principles need to be followed in order to establish a just society that is based on the need for Fundamental Rights and the principles of non-violence.

Liberalistic Directive Principles:

The liberalistic directive principles need to be followed in order to establish a just society that is based on the need for Fundamental Rights and the principles of liberty and equality.

What is the area of Difference between the two?

The fundamental rights and the directive principles can be differentiated on the basis of –

  • Nature:- The fundamental rights are justiciable in nature i.e. they are enforceable by the courts of law. On the other hand, the directive principles are non-justiciable in nature i.e. they are not enforceable by the courts of law.
  • Remedies:- The fundamental rights provide for legal remedies in case of their infringement. There are no such legal remedies available in case of infringement of directive principles.
  • Applicability:- The fundamental rights are applicable to both the Union and the State Governments. On the other hand, the directive principles are applicable only to the State Governments.
  • Enforcement:- The fundamental rights can be enforced by the courts of law. The directive principles cannot be enforced by the courts of law.
  • Violation:- The violation of fundamental rights is a penal offence. There is no such penal offence for the violation of directive principles.
  • Nature of rights:- The fundamental rights are negative in nature i.e. they place a duty on the State not to infringe them. The directive principles are positive in nature i.e. they place a duty on the State to take measures to implement them.

Conclusion

The Directive Principles of State Policy need to be read in harmony with the Fundamental Rights. They are not a substitute for Fundamental Rights but play a supplementary role. The significance of the Directive Principles lies in the fact that they represent the social conscience of the Constitution. They lay down ideals and aspirations which the government should strive to achieve. There is an area of difference between the Directive Principles and the Fundamental Rights.  The former are justiciable while the latter are non-justiciable. But this does not mean that the Directive Principles are without any legal force. They form an integral part of the Constitution and it is the duty of the State to promote their implementation.