According to the Preamble, who is the ultimate source of all authority under the Indian Constitution?

The Preamble begins with the words "We, the people of India", which show that the people of India are the ultimate source of all authority under the Constitution.

Meaning:

• The Constitution was not given to India by any outside power, such as the British Parliament, or by any ruler.
• It was made by the people of India themselves, through their representatives in the Constituent Assembly.
• The people "adopt, enact and give to themselves" the Constitution.
• All organs of the State, such as the legislature, the executive and the judiciary, get their powers from the Constitution, and therefore ultimately from the people.

Sovereignty of the people:

In a democracy, the people are sovereign; they elect their representatives and can change them at elections.

Structure of the Preamble:

The Preamble has four main parts:

• The source of authority: the people of India.
• The nature of the Indian State: sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic, republic.
• The objectives: justice, liberty, equality and fraternity.
• The date of adoption.

Criticism and reply:

• Some critics argued that the Constituent Assembly was not elected directly by the people on the basis of universal adult franchise, so the claim that the people gave themselves the Constitution was not fully accurate.
• Supporters replied that the Assembly represented all sections of the people, and that the people later accepted the Constitution by taking part in elections under it.

The Preamble and the courts:

• The Supreme Court has used the Preamble to understand the basic structure of the Constitution.
• It has said that the Preamble embodies the "great and noble vision" of the makers of the Constitution.

Why not the other options?

• ✗The President, Parliament and the Constituent Assembly derive their authority from the Constitution and the people; they are not the ultimate source of authority.