(B) 42nd Amendment
The Constitution declares India to be a sovereign, socialist, secular democratic republic, assuring its citizens of justice, equality and liberty and endeavours to promote fraternity among them. The words "socialist" and "secular" were added to the definition in 1976 by the 42nd constitutional amendment. The word 'secular’, though was specifically added in the Preamble in the year 1976, yet the original spirit of the Constitution was completely secular in nature. Its insertion into the Preamble has ensured that secularism has now become a source from which the constitutional provisions on secularism draw their authority and it has now become the central object which the Constitution seeks to establish. It is also one of the basic structures of our Constitution and no compromise can be made on this by any government.
