'Constitutional values will remain vibrant and strong as long as the checks and balances on Executive Power are not weakened,' says Constitution expert Anil B Divan.
On the 65th anniversary of the Constitution, India's supreme book on governance, democracy and citizenship, Rediff.com speaks to Constitutional experts on whether the Constitution has lived up to the expectations of citizens and the Republic's founding fathers.
Has the time come for the Constitution to be reviewed? The first in a Republic Day Special:
On the 65th anniversary of the Republic, what are your thoughts on the Constitution and how has it contributed to the India we see around us?
You can see that there is enormous bureaucratic corruption in the top echelons and there is no vigorous effort to curb it.
Until the top bureaucratic structure is reshuffled, the whole effort of good governance will fail.
There are young idealistic IAS and other service officers who have been sidelined. They have to be brought into commanding positions in the system.
They have to be given key responsibilities if the atmosphere of gloom as far as corruption goes has to be eliminated.
What will make the Constitution stronger? Is there a case to review some of its provisions and make it more relevant to today's India?
There is no need to review the Constitution.
Constitutional values will remain vibrant and strong as long as the checks and balances on Executive Power are not weakened -- Judiciary, Information Commission, Election Commission, Media freedom.
With a very strong Executive, the public will have to resist weakening of these checks and balances.
The Constitution has to be worked by good people with good intentions. It has to be implemented in letter and spirit.
Constitution expert and public interest lawyer Anil B Divan spoke to A Ganesh Nadar/Rediff.com
Image: School boys with their faces painted in the colours of the flag in Jammu. Photograph: Mukesh Gupta/Reuters
