Campaign to create Constitutional literacy among the public launched

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Citizens working towards improving constitutional literacy among the public expressed their love for the Constitution on the occasion of Valentine’s Day with a postcard message.

They sent postcards under the banner of the Reclaim Constitution project, to welcome Justice Victoria Gowri, the newly appointed additional judge to the Madurai bench of the Madras High court. The intention behind the campaign is to create awareness about Article 219 of the Constitution which prescribes the oath or affirmation to be taken by judges of High Courts according to the form set out for the purpose in the Third Schedule.

The form of oath or affirmation to be made by the judges of a High Court as set out in the Third Schedule is as follows: “I, A.B., having been appointed Chief Justice (or a Judge) of the High Court at (or of)...do solemnly affirm/swear in the name of God that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India as by law established, (that I will uphold the sover- eignty and integrity of India,) that I will duly and faithfully and to the best of my ability, knowledge and judgment perform the duties of my office without fear or favour, affection or ill-will and that I will uphold the Constitution and the laws.”

A postcard designed by the Reclaim Constitution project has been sent by citizens across the country to welcome Justice Victoria Gowri who recently took the oath as per Article 219 of the Constitution. The postcard carries an excerpt of the speech made by T T Krishnamachari on 6 December 1948, during the constituent assembly debate on Article 25 (freedom of conscience and free profession, practice, and propagation of religion).

“It is perfectly open to the Hindus and the Arya Samajists to carry on their Suddhi propaganda as it is open to the Christians, the Muslims, the Jains, and the Buddhists and to every other religionist, so long as he does it subject to public order, morality and the other conditions that have to be observed in any civilised government,” a portion of the excerpt reads.