Short notes: First Amendment of the Constitution of India

Act: The Constitution (First Amendment) Act, 1951,

Year enacted in: 1951,

Moved by: Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India.

Presented in Parliament: on 10 May 1951

Enacted by Parliament: on 18 June 1951

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Changes:

(i) several changes to the Fundamental Rights provisions of the Indian constitution.

(ii) provided against abuse of freedom of speech and expression,

(iii) validation of zamindari abolition laws, and

(iv) clarified that the right to equality does not bar the enactment of laws which provide "special consideration" for weaker sections of society.

(v) set the precedent of amending the Constitution to overcome judicial judgements impeding fulfilment of the government's perceived responsibilities to particular policies and programmes.

Freedom of speech: in 1^st amendment a provision was made limiting Article 19(1)(a) of Constitution of India against "abuse of freedom of speech and expression". This was based on the landmark judgment in "Romesh Thappar vs The State Of Madras" on 26 May 1950.

The Parliament of India noted that in other countries with written constitutions, freedom of speech and of the press is not regarded as debarring the State from punishing or preventing abuse of this freedom.

Freedom of trade: The right of citizens of India to practice any profession or to carry on any occupation, trade or business conferred by article 19(1)(g) is subject to reasonable restrictions which the laws of the State may impose "in the interests of general public".

Upholding land reforms: Though the provisions of clauses (4) and (6) of article 31 were enacted but the validity of agrarian reform measures passed by the State Legislatures had formed the subject-matter of dilatory litigation. The result of which the implementation of these important measures, affecting large numbers of people, had been held up.

A new article 31A was introduced with retrospective effect to uphold such measures for implementation of provisions of clauses (4) and (6) of article 31.

Another new article 31B was introduced to validate 13 enactments relating to zamindari abolition.

Equality

It is laid down in Article 46 as a Directive Principle of State Policy that the State should promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people and protect them from social injustice.

In order that any special provision that the State may make for the educational, economic or social advancement of any backward class of citizens may not be challenged on the ground of being discriminatory, article 15(3) was suitably amplified.

Jawaharlal Nehru encouraged the Parliament of India to pass the amendment in response to State of Madras v. Champakam Dorairajan, which went before the Madras High Court and then the Supreme Court of India. In that case, a Brahmin woman in Madras challenged the state's Communal General Order, which established caste quotas in government-supported medical and engineering schools, on the grounds that it denied her equality under the law; both courts had upheld her petition.

Certain amendments in respect of articles dealing with the convening and proroguing of the sessions of Parliament were also incorporated in the Act. So also a few minor amendments in respect of articles 341, 342, 372, and 376.

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USED IN COI

Art., arts. for Article, articles.

Cl., cls. ″ Clause, clauses.

C.O. ″ Constitution Order.

Ins. ″ Inserted.

P., pp. ″ Page, pages.

Pt. ″ Part.

Rep. ″ Repealed.

S., ss. ″ Section, sections.

Sch. ″ Schedule.

Subs. ″ Substituted.

w.e.f. ″ with effect from.

Short Q and A: IT Act

Here are some short Q and A on IT Act and SPDI rules.

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Q. Which Act governs the rules for and laws for data protection in India?

Ans. The general data protection rules under the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act) as well as various sector specific laws on data protection.

Q. Why right to privacy is not an absolute right?

Ans. The right to privacy is fundamental right of a citizen of India but it is subjected to some restrictions and has expressly recognised protecting national security, preventing and investigating crime, encouraging innovation and the spread of knowledge, and preventing the dissipation of social welfare benefits as certain legitimate aims of the State – as held in case of Puttaswami by Supreme Court.

Q. What is mean by SPDI Rules?

Ans. SPDI rules means The Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011.

Q. Under which section of which Act SPDI rules were issued?

Ans. Under Section 43A of Information Technology Act, 2000 (for short IT Act) SPDI rules were issued.

Q. What is Section 43A of IT Act?

Ans. Section 43A, relates to Compensation for Failure to Protect Data and enables the enactment of reasonable security practices and procedures for the protection of sensitive personal data.

Q. Which OECD guidelines were incorporated in SPDI rules?

Ans. The OECD guidelines incorporated in SPDI rules are collection limitation, purpose specification, use limitation and individual participation.

Q. To whom the SPDI rules are applicable?

Ans. The SPDI Rules apply only to corporate entities and leaves the government and government bodies outside its ambit.

Q. Which tribunal was to hear appeals under IT Act?

Ans. Cyber Appellate Tribunal (CyAT). But it has given it’s last order in 2011. There is absence of effective machinery for enforcement of law related to digital sector.

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Theory of Basic Structure of Constitution

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Landmark Judgments: 

Shankari Prasad Case:

The question whether fundamental rights can be amended under Article 368 came for consideration in the Supreme Court in Shankari Prasad case. In this case validity of constitution (1st amendment) act, 1951 which inserted inter alia, articles 31-A and 31-B of the constitution was challenged. The amendment was challenged on the ground that it abridges the rights conferred by Part III and hence was void. The Supreme Court however rejected the above argument and held that power to amend including the fundamental rights is contained in Article 368 and the same view was taken by court in Sajjan Singh case.

Golak Nath Case:

In Golak Nath case, the validity of 17th Amendment which inserted certain acts in Ninth Schedule was again challenged. The Supreme Court ruled the parliament had no power to amend Part III of the constitution and overruled its earlier decision in Shankari Prasad and Sajjan Singh case. In order to remove difficulties created by the decision of SC in Golak Nath case parliament enacted the 24th Amendment act.

Kesavanand Bharati Case:

The Supreme Court recognized BASIC STRUCTURE concept for the first time in the historic Kesavananda Bharati case in 1973. Ever since the Supreme Court has been the interpreter of the Constitution and the arbiter of all amendments made by parliament. In this case validity of the 25th Amendment act was challenged along with the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-ninth Amendments. The court by majority overruled the Golak Nath case which denied parliament the power to amend fundamental rights of the citizens. The majority held that Article 368 even before the 24th Amendment contained the power as well as the procedure of amendment. The Supreme Court declared that Article 368 did not enable Parliament to alter the basic structure or framework of the Constitution and parliament could not use its amending powers under Article 368 to 'damage', 'emasculate', 'destroy', 'abrogate', 'change' or 'alter' the 'basic structure' or framework of the constitution. This decision is not just a landmark in the evolution of constitutional law, but a turning point in constitutional history.

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Short Q & A: Data protection law

Hello law professionals and law knowledge seekers. This blog is comprising of short Q and A on Data protection law history and introduction.

Q. Why data protection law is necessary in any country?

Ans. Data protection law is necessary in any country to ensure growth of the digital economy while keeping personal data of citizens secure and protected.

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Q. What do you mean by data protection?

Ans. Data protection is synonym to protection of information privacy.

Q. What are the objectives of the data protection law?

Ans. The objectives of the data protection law are: 1) to provide protection of information privacy; 2) to provide a foundation for datadriven innovation and entrepreneurship for empowerment, experiment and equal access committed by the digital future.

Q. Where can be data analytics used by organisations and government?

Ans. The data analytics can be used by organisations and government to gain remarkable insights into areas such as health, food security, intelligent transport systems, energy efficiency and urban planning.

Q. What does digital India initiative involves?

Ans. Digital India initiative involves the incorporation of digitisation in governance; healthcare and educational services; cashless economy and digital transactions; transparency in bureaucracy; fair and quick distribution of welfare schemes etc to empower citizens.

Q. Why Indian government uses personal data?

Ans. In India, the state uses personal data for purposes such as the targeted delivery of social welfare benefits, effective planning and implementation of government schemes, counter-terrorism operations, etc. Such collection and use of data is usually backed by law, though in the context of counter-terrorism and intelligence gathering, it appears not to be the case.

Q. How right to privacy is a fundamental right of a citizen of India?

Ans. Right to privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution and as a part of the freedoms guaranteed by Part III of the Constitution. Well explained in Puttaswamy case.

Q. Why data protection is necessary for an individual or for a community?

Ans. The usage of personal information not only reaps many benefits but is also capable of causing considerable harm. The need to prevent such harms, and hinges on the question of who should be permitted to use personal information and how; the data protection is necessary for an individual. The protection of privacy permits individuals to plan and carry out their lives without unnecessary intrusion.

Q. What are the types of privacy?

Ans. Three broad types of privacy have been identified: 1) the privacy pertaining to physical spaces, bodies and things (spatial privacy); 2) the privacy of certain significant self-defining choices (decisional privacy); 3) and the privacy of personal information (informational privacy).

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Protection against constitutional amendments

Necessity of Amending Provisions in the Constitution

The social, economic and political conditions of the people go on changing so the constitutional law of the country must also change in order towards it to the changing needs, changing life of the people. If no provisions were made for amendment of the constitution, the people would have recourse to extra constitutional method like revolution to change the constitution. The framers of the Indian constitution were anxious to have a document which could grow with a growing nation, adapt itself to the changing circumstances of a growing people. 

Power to amend Constitution:

The Constitution of India was apparently intended to entrench the more permanent values cherished by the society, particularly in its Part III. The founding fathers wanted the Constitution to be an adaptable document rather than a rigid framework for governance. Hence Parliament was vested with the power under Article 368 to amend the Constitution.

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Restriction on parliament power of Amending Provisions in the Constitution and Judicial Review: 

However, with the intention of preserving the original ideals envisioned by the Constitution makers, the Supreme Court in Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala held that Parliament could not distort, damage or alter the essential features or the 'basic structure' of the Constitution under the pretext of amending it. The enunciation of this doctrine can be said to be an attempt to preserve the spirit of the rule of law from the otherwise unlimited power of Parliament to amend the Constitution. Thus, Parliament's power to amend the Constitution is not absolute and the Supreme Court is the final arbiter over and interpreter of all constitutional amendments. Since what constitutes 'basic structure' is not spelt out in the Constitution, the features that constitute the same cannot be laid down until another authoritative pronouncement is rendered by the apex court. However, it can be said that the sovereign, democratic and secular character of the polity, rule of law, independence of the judiciary, fundamental rights of citizens, etc. are some of the essential features of the Constitution.

The framers of the Indian constitution were also aware of that fact that if the constitution was so flexible it would be like playing cards of the ruling party so they adopted a middle course. It is neither too rigid to admit necessary amendments, nor flexible for undesirable changes.

According to constitution, parliament and state legislature in India have the power to make the laws within their respective jurisdiction. This power is not absolute in nature.

The constitution vests in judiciary, the power to adjudicate upon the constitutional validity of all the laws. If a laws made by parliament or state legislature violates any provision of the constitution, the Supreme Court has power to declare such a law invalid or ultra vires. So the process of judicial scrutiny of legislative acts is called Judicial Review. Article 368 of the Constitution gives the impression that Parliament's amending powers are absolute and encompass all parts of the document. But the Supreme Court has acted as a brake to the legislative enthusiasm of Parliament ever since independence. With the intention of preserving the original ideals envisioned by the constitution-makers.

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Role of law in Business

The rule of law plays an important role in the business world when set setting a business it is the laws that determine what type of business it is to became, and the structure is to be formed.

Also the law sets up a reasonable expectation on how the business should operate in order to protect the business owner’s interest of the Customer of that business. The rule of law not only allows people to understand what is expected of them in their personal capacities but also set forth rules for business so that they, too know what is expected of them in their dealing and transactions the law protects those who work for a business. It sets Guideline of how treat your employees, equal opportunities, pay scale, hours, breaks, benefits and long with a host of other right privileges.

In short the laws for business create an honest environment where consumers and business owners interest can be protected and we have ways to solve of any disputes arise. If these laws are in any ways are violated it sets up Guidelines for punishment.