Centre seeks two months time from SC to decide on enforcing Fundamental Duties | India News

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it was examining the issue of enforcing the Fundamental Duties enshrined in the constitution and will take a decision after getting inputs from various departments and ministries.
Appearing before a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M M Sundresh, attorney general K K Venugopal submitted that the government sought inputs from various departments and ministries on the issue and pleaded that two months time be given to take a call on the issue. The bench then granted last opportunity to the Centre and adjourned the hearing for September 26.
The bench earlier issued notice to Centre and states seeking their response on a plea filed by advocate Durga Dutt to make a comprehensive well defined laws/rules ensuring the adherence to the provisions of Part IV-A of the Constitution of India effectively and requiring the citizens to perform their Fundamental Duties properly.
The fundamental duties obligate all citizens to respect the national symbols of India, including the constitution, to cherish its heritage, and preserve its composite culture. They also obligate all Indians to promote the spirit of common brotherhood, protect the environment and public property, develop scientific temper, humanism, to safeguard public property and to abjure violence.
“The Fundamental Duties are an important tool to protect the unity and integrity of several institutions including the judiciary. It is submitted that every citizen must learn how to respect the institutions of this country. There have been cases where Fundamental Duties have been brazenly flouted by the people including the officers of the law and which in turn resulted in violation of Fundamental rights of other citizens,” the petition, drafted by advocate Karunakar Mahalik, said.
The petitioner contended that 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 behavior because rights and duties are co-relative.