CONSTITUTIONAL PROMISES VS GROUND REALITY

AUTHOR – VISHNU VARDHAN .G, STUDENT AT SASTRA DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY

BEST CITATION – VISHNU VARDHAN .G, CONSTITUTIONAL PROMISES VS GROUND REALITY, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (1) OF 2026, PG. 547-551, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

ABSTRACT

A strong commitment to end the social injustices caused by India’s colonial past and to establish a nation based on the principles of justice, liberty, equality, and brotherhood… the socially transformative element of the Constitution of India. Beyond governance, The Constitution of India delivers on its promise of Social and Economic Justice to the citizen through its Bill of Rights, Directive Principles of State Policy and Judicial review of the state.

Despite the breadth of The Constitution’s vision of India, there remains an enormous disconnect between its promise and what daily life looks like for the average citizen.

This article takes a close-up look at how far we have come from what was hoped for based on how the Supreme Court has interpreted the Constitution of India in relation to the right to Equality, the protection of Fundamental Rights and the quest for Social and Economic Justice. The article examines how the judiciary has used its power of Judicial Activism to further the ideals of the Constitution. The expansion of the definition and understanding of Rights continues today as does the use of Public Interest Litigation to afford citizens access to justice.

The study concludes that, while the judiciary plays an important role in facilitating access to justice through its continued interpretation of the Constitution, it is not equipped to resolve the systemic issues surrounding Social and Economic Justice in a sustainable way. The article concludes by asserting that true Constitutional Transformation requires sustained commitment on the part of Political Leadership, the establishment of effective mechanisms for the administration of justice, and the creation of accountability across all levels of government.

Keywords: Indian Constitution; Fundamental Rights; Equality; Directive Principles of State Policy; Judicial Activism; Socio-Economic Justice