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The citizens of a nation are the people who are legally living in that country and have a nationality. These citizens can enjoy the government’s benefits, like free vaccination, infrastructural facilities, health care, etc. However, the citizens are also required to obey the laws of that particular nation. There are certain fundamental duties that citizens are required to fulfil. The duty to pay taxes is one of them. There is punishment for non-compliance if the citizens do not follow these duties. Let’s look at the Swaran Singh Committee’s recommendations for the same.
The Fundamental duties
Article 51A, which comes under the fourth part of the Indian constitution States the fundamental duties of any Indian citizen. Currently, there are eleven fundamental duties that a citizen of India is supposed to follow. There is punishment for non-compliance.
The fundamental duties of the citizens include respecting the ideals and institutions of the Indian constitution and the national flag, and the national anthem.
Indian citizens should cherish and follow the Nobel ideas that inspired the struggle for freedom for the country.
They should develop a scientific temperament and humanism And A spirit of inquiry and reform. Indian citizens must safeguard public property and avoid violence. The 11 duty that was added to the Indian constitution was to provide opportunities for education to children between the age of 6 to 14. There is no punishment for non-compliance. These are the fundamental duties of the Indian citizens.
The Swaran Singh committee added the duty to pay taxes to the Indian constitution. There is a punishment for non-compliance if anyone refuses to avoid the duty to pay taxes. Let us see why it is important to pay taxes.
The importance of paying taxes
The tax revenue is the money received by the government utilised for the development of the citizens of that country. There are various types of taxes: income tax, capital gains tax, property tax, etc. The duty to pay taxes applies to every citizen whose income is above the poverty line.
It is important to pay taxes as taxes are the source of funds for the government. The government uses this fund to carry out beneficial activities for the citizens of the Country.
Suppose the citizens are abiding by their fundamental duty to pay taxes. It helps the government develop public roads and better infrastructure facilities for public places like railway stations, etc. Hence, every citizen must carry out their fundamental duty to pay taxes.
The Swaran Singh Committee’s recommendations
The duty to pay taxes was not part of the fundamental duties of an Indian citizen. This committee was set up in 1976 by the Congress party to make changes in the fundamental duties and add what felt necessary during the internal emergency.
This committee included the fundamental duties in the constitution. The Committee underlines the importance of carrying out fundamental duties by citizens and enjoying the rights and availing benefits of citizenship.
The recommendations of the Swaran Singh Committee were accepted as the 42nd amendment to the constitution in 1976. At first, ten fundamental duties were added, and later the 11th fundamental duty was appended to it.
Fundamental duties recommended by Swaran’s Singh Committee
The Swaran’s Singh Committee recommended the addition of fundamental duties in the constitution of India. The Swaran’s Singh Committee has recommended adding a separate chapter of fundamental duties in the constitution so that every Indian citizen remains conscious and sincere for them. After that, the Congress government of India accepted the recommendations of the committee and decided to add fundamental duties to the constitution under the 42nd
Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976. Along with this, it resulted in the addition of a new part (part IV) in the constitution of India. Only one article, which is Article51, was added to this part. Swaran’s Singh Committee recommended only ten fundamental duties, but later, in 2002, one more fundamental duty was appended to it. However, the government of India also neglected three recommendations given by Swaran’s Singh Committee.
The Swaran’s Singh Committee felt the necessity to add fundamental duties during the internal emergency operation. Committee understands the role of citizens in the growth and development of India. Along with this, the committee also felt the bad situation of Indians. During the time of the internal emergency operation, the committee observed the negligence of Indian citizens toward their nation’s responsibilities.
Conclusion
The citizens of any country avail themselves of benefits of citizenship from their respective government. However, the citizens also have some duties towards the nation. These duties were termed the fundamental duties and added to the constitution of India during the 42nd amendment. They were added by the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee. The committee stated ten fundamental duties of citizens, and the 11th one was added later. According to Swaran’s Singh Committee recommendations, penalties are not questionable in court under the fundamental right.
