No Stock of updated version of Constitution of India for a year
Provide Constitution of India to every Gram Panchayats: Rusen Kumar
People Deprived from Latest Editions of Constitution of India
INVC NEWS
RAIPUR ,
In order to spread the importance of the Indian Constitution, India is observing November 26 as the Constitution Day of India. The day has also been declared as the Constitution Day to spread awareness about its architect Dr B.R. Ambedkar as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. ” The Constitution was adopted on November 26, 1949, while it came into force on January 26, 1950.
Other side, the latest, 2014 editions of the Supreme Document Constitution of India are out of stock with the Govt of India for the last one year and hence it not available for selling to public, a RTI reply revealed.
The reply dated 29.9.2015 mentioned, that Govt. publishes pocket and A4 sized editions of ‘Constitution of India’ on time to time basis, but 2014 editions (the latest) of the Constitution of India’ are not available with the Vidhi Sahitya Prakashan, Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice, Govt of India for distribution or selling to public.
According to the letter, only 2011, pocket sized bilingual edition is available for selling to Public. The price of pocket sized bilingual edition is Rs. 200 only. Govt. does not have any provision to send it free of cost. Anyone who wants to buy it can send the demand draft of the said amount to avail the copies of the Constitution of India.
After 2011, significant amendments has been made in the Constitution. In spite of so many latest developments, Govt has not taken initiative to print the latest edition of the Constitution.
Govt. of India does not have any specific written policy and directives to print and periodically publish the supreme document Constitution of India, a RTI letter reply No. 1(5)/2013-V.S.P.(Office) dated 15.04.2015 also revealed.
The reply said, that the Govt. publishes pocket and A4 sized editions of ‘Constitution of India’ on time to time basis. However, there is no any fixed time frame to print or publish it frequently. To make it available to the common people, the Department of Legal Literature Publication, Ministry of Law and Justice, Govt. of India, is responsible to print, publish and sell the ‘Constitution of India’.”
The reply also said, “There is no specific guidelines and policy on paper and printing quality etc.”
Letter no.3/58/2015-R.T.I. dated 15.04.2015 of the Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice, Govt. of India says, “Constitution of India is being published by Ministry of Law and Justice when it receives demand or request from Controller-Publications and Law Literature Publication, Legislative Department, bodies working under the Ministry of Law and Justice, New Delhi.”
“After 2011, significant amendments have been made in the Constitution. Constitution is an important reading for every citizen. People cannot be kept deprived from accessing Constitution of India.”, Rusen Kumar said.
Rusen Kumar, a resident of Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, who wrote several letters to President of India, Chief Justice of India and the concerned Ministry, said that Govt. is not only very much concerned about making available Constitution of India to the Citizens of the country but is also not committed to improve the standards and quality of the supreme document as well.
“Ours democracy depends and takes inspirations from the Constitution and it is the mother document that governs the state and whole system. We are all guided by this constitution. So, why Govt. should not have latest editions in the stock for selling to public and distributions?” Rusen Kumar said.
Have a written policy on Publication
“Govt. should have a written directive, policy and standard operating procedures on frequency of publication, size, font size, paper quality, ink standard, page thickness, binding etc. of Constitution of India. The Govt. and its relevant ministries should work at the earliest to make the people our country aware of their legal rights and duties for creating a peaceful and judicious India.”, Rusen Kumar said.
“I have been purchasing Constitution of India for distribution to the people to spread awareness on its significance in life of common people.” Rusen Kumar said.
“The government should work sincerely towards ensuring the printing and distribution/circulation of the Constitution to all the citizens of the India. The government should distribute the printed copies of the constitution free of cost to all its citizens,” he added.
“The government should also work on ensuring that Constitution becomes a part of the curriculum at the school and the college level as a part of general education course so that all citizens are optimally aware of the constitution and the legal framework.”, he said.
Insure high level of printing quality
Rusen Kumar has written to the Govt. to publish the Constitution of India frequently in large numbers insuring high level of printing quality in esteemed manner, so that it can be restored for many years to come as the supreme document is intimately linked to every citizen of India. The government should also look on the issue related to free accessibility of Constitution of India, printing in large numbers and its availability in various regional Indian languages.
Provide Constitution each Gram Panchayats
Rusen Kumar said that each and every Gram Panchayats should have because Gram Panchayat is a constitutional body. It is Govt’s duty to insure the availability of Constitution in every villages.
Govt. should take following stapes immediately
Provide all the citizens Constitution free of cost as getting information is a fundamental right,
Insure the availability of constitution in all public places like, post offices, collectorate, municipal corporations, police stations, tehsil offices, govt guest houses etc. for public access,
Start a 24×7 TV channel on Constitution awareness,
Include chapters in school and colleges text books at classes in all level,
All the educational institution should encourage researchs in Indian Constitution.
Constitution Day of India
To spread the importance of the Indian Constitution, India is observing November 26 as the Constitution Day of India. The day has also been declared as the Constitution Day to spread awareness about its architect Dr B.R. Ambedkar. The day was announced by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, after he laid the foundation stone of Dr Ambedkar Memorial at Indu-Mills Compound on October 11, 2015 in Mumbai. Modi also said that “on this day, every year, school children will be taught about constitution and Dr Ambedkar.” The Constitution was adopted on November 26, 1949, while it came into force on January 26, 1950.
