General – Directive Principles

of State Policy
 Classification of the Directives

 Part IV -> Articles 36-51

 Classified under three groups

i) Ideals to strive for (Economic)
ii) Directions to Legislature and Executive as to how they
will exercise their powers
iii) Not enforceable but will regulate Legislative and
Administrative Policy

 Scope of Directives:
 Follow these Principles in making laws and administration

 Directive Principles aim at a Socialistic pattern of Society

 A balance between ‘Socialism’ and ‘Capitalism’

 Economic democracy
 Trends towards collectivism during the time of Mrs. Indira
Gandhi

 Nationalization of banking, insurance, coal mines and

aviation

 Janata Regine -> Removal of Fundamental Right to

Property

 Directive Principles compared with Fundamental Rights

1) Fundamental Rights -> Limitation of state action
Directive Principles -> Instruments of instruction to

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 Government in day to day
actions

2) Fundamental Rights -> Required to be implemented

by legislation
Directive Principles -> Not so

3) Fundamental Rights -> Justiciable rights

Directive Principles -> Non-justiciable

4) Fundamental Rights -> Prevail over Directive

Principles
Directive Principles -> To be read with Fundamental

Rights

 Minerva Mills case

 Fundamental Rights are the basic structure of our

constitution

 Constitution aims at balance between the two like two

wheels of a chariot

 Sanction behind Directive Principles

 Political

 Dr. Ambedkar
“If any Government ignores them, they will certainly have
to answer for them before the Electorate at the election
time”

 Utility of Directive Principles lies in the fact that:

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 1. It will facilitate the establishment of a Socialistic Pattern of
Society
2. Fundamental in governance of country
3. Not a surplusage:
i) Constitutional validity of many laws has been
maintained due to Directive Principles
ii) Directive Principles help to determine scope and ambit
of Fundamental Rights
iii) Assists interpretation of Legislature
iv) Directive Principles though not enforceable Supreme
Court rendering decisions in their light
4. Fundamental Rights being amended to bring it in tune with
Directive Principles

 Implementation of Directives:
a) Enabled state to secure ownership and control of material
resources

 Land Reforms Act

 done away with Zamindars, Jagirdars and

Imandars

 land to belong to tiller

 Land Ceiling Act

b) Laws enacted to implement directive to organise village

Panchayats endowed with Civil and Judicial powers

c) Several boards established for promotion of Cottage

Industries

 All India Khadi and Village Industries Board

 All India Handicrafts Board

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  All India Handloom Board

 Small scale Industries Board

 Silk Board

 Coir Board

d) Legislation enacted for compulsory education in many

states and union territories

e) To raise standard of living many programmes launched:

 Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP)

 National Rural Employment Programme (NREP)

 Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme

(RLEGP)

 Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP)

 Desert Development Programme (DDP)

f) Legislations facilitating prohibition of intoxicating drinks and

drugs

g) To facilitate separation of Executive from Judiciary – Civil

Procedure Code 1973

 Directives contained in other parts of Constitution

1) Article 350A – Every state and local authority to provide
adequate facilities for education in mother tongue at
primary stage to children belonging to linguistic minority
groups

2) Article 351 – Enjoins Union to promote spread of Hindi

language
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3) Article 355 – Claims of members of schedule castes and
schedule tribes shall be considered in making appointments
to services and posts in connection with affairs of union and
state.