Which of the following statements is/are true of the Fundamental Duties of an Indian citizen ? 1. A legislative process has been provided to enforce these duties. 2. They are correlative to legal duties. Select the correct answer using the code given below :
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2 ✓ UPSC's answer
Why the answer is (d)
• Fundamental Duties (Article 51A, added by the 42nd Amendment) are non-justiciable: the Constitution provides no legislative process or direct mechanism to enforce them, though Parliament may make laws on specific duties (e.g. Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act) — statement 1 is wrong.
• Statement 2 is wrong: they are moral and civic obligations, not correlative to legal duties enforceable by courts; the Verma Committee (1999) noted some are backed by laws, but they are not themselves legal duties.
• Hence neither 1 nor 2, option (d).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) 1 only
- Statement 1 is wrong: no enforcement process is provided.
- (b) 2 only
- Statement 2 is wrong: they are moral, not legal, duties.
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- Both statements are wrong.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2017, held on 18 June 2017. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.