Previous Year Question
Which one of the following statements best reflects the chief purpose of the ‘Constitution’ of a country?
It determines the objective for making laws.
It enables the creation of political offices and a government.
It defines and limits the powers of government.
It secures social justice, social equality and social security.
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
A Constitution is the supreme foundational law of a country. Its chief purpose is not merely to create governmental institutions but to define the powers of different organs of government and place constitutional limitations on those powers. Therefore, option (c) most accurately expresses the chief purpose of a Constitution.
A Constitution determines how the legislature, executive and judiciary will be constituted; what powers they will possess; the procedures according to which those powers will be exercised; and how the relationship between citizens and the government will be regulated.
The Constitution of India contains several examples of defining and limiting governmental power:
Article 13 declares laws violating Fundamental Rights void to the extent of the contravention. It consequently limits the legislative powers of Parliament and State Legislatures.
Article 32 gives citizens the right to approach the Supreme Court for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights.
Article 226 empowers High Courts to issue writs for enforcing Fundamental Rights and other legal rights.
Articles 245 and 246, read with the Seventh Schedule, determine the fields of legislative power of Parliament and State Legislatures.
Article 368 prescribes the power and procedure for amending the Constitution. Even this power is not unlimited so as to destroy the basic structure of the Constitution.
Option (a) is incorrect. A Constitution establishes the basic framework and limits of law-making, but determining the specific objective of every law is not its chief function.
Option (b) is incomplete. A Constitution establishes political offices and institutions of government, but merely creating a government is insufficient. It also determines that government’s powers, jurisdiction, procedures and limitations.
Option (d) is incomplete. Social justice, equality and security are important objectives of the Indian Constitution. The Preamble and Directive Principles promote these objectives. Nevertheless, the general and chief purpose of a Constitution is to define and limit governmental powers.