From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices on a public interest litigation (PIL), seeking enforcement of the fundamental duties of the citizens.
A Bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M M Sundresh agreed to admit the writ petition filed by Durga Dutt, an advocate-on-record in the Supreme Court, after senior advocate Ranjit Kumar engaged by him asserted that “the fundamental duties are an import tool of the Constitution to protect the unity and integrity of several institutions, including the judiciary.
It was argued that the need to enforce fundamental duty arises due to a new illegal trend of protest by the protesters in the garb of freedom of speech and expression, by way of blocking of road and rail routes, in order to compel the government to meet their demands.
The plea contended that every citizen must learn how to respect the institutions of the country and added there have been cases where fundamental duties have been brazenly flouted by the people, including the officers of the law. the fundamental duties are intended to serve as a constant reminder to every citizen that while the Constitution conferred on them certain Fundamental Rights specifically, it also requires citizens to observe certain basic norms of democratic conduct and democratic behaviour because rights and duties are correlative, Ranjit Kumar contended.
He said everybody is clamouring for rights and nobody cares about fundamental duties and it is important to understand the stand of the Union of India.
The petition said: “In the instant petition there is large public interest involved that every citizen must adhere to Fundamental Duties and to sensitise the people and create general awareness among citizens regarding fundamental duties and achievement of their desired enforceability by not only legal sanctions but also social sanctions and creations of role models and to promote a sense of discipline and commitment amongst every citizen of India towards each other and towards the nation.”
