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Defending your rights

Rights · Remedies · Review

52 key articles — UPSC-first. All 464 coming shortly. Browse the list

Part I — The Union and its Territory

Part III — Fundamental Rights

Part IV — Directive Principles

Part V — The Union

Part VI — The States

Part XI — Relations between the Union and the States

Part XV — Elections

Part XVIII — Emergency Provisions

Part XX — Amendment of the Constitution

Part XXI — Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions

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2026

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Constitution of India

Part IV — Directive Principles

Article37

Application of the principles contained in this Part

The provisions contained in this Part shall not be enforceable by any court, but the principles therein laid down are nevertheless fundamental in the governance of the country and it shall be the duty of the State to apply these principles in making laws.

In plain language

Directive Principles are not like fundamental rights: you usually cannot sue to enforce them. They are still binding on the government’s conscience when it makes policy.

This wording has been in force since 1950 on this desk.

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Part IVDirective Principles

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