- Critics don’t consider the list of fundamental duties as exhaustive. They feel that many more important duties like paying taxes, casting votes that were also suggested by the Swaran Singh Committee were not included in this list.
- A common man cannot understand the complex words like composite culture that are present in the fundamental duties. Due to lack of understanding, the true meaning cannot be established. For him/her such words are difficult to understand. Moreover some duties are ambiguous in nature.
- These duties cannot be enforced by a court of law so, critics feels that it is of no use to include these duties in the Constitution.
- Some duties are of such a nature that they are being performed by the citizen in each and every case like paying respect to the National Flag and National Anthem. So there was no need to include these duties in the Constitution.
- These duties are placed in Part IV-A of the Indian Constitution that is after the Directive Principles of the State Policy, that’s why not much importance is given to them. According to the critics it should be placed in Part III after the Fundamental Rights.
NCRWC (National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution) recommendations :
The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution has recommended that for effectuating Fundamental Duties, the following steps should be taken:
- The first and foremost step required by the Union and State Governments is to sensitise the people and to create a general awareness of the provisions of fundamental duties amongst the citizens on the lines recommended by the Justice Verma Committee on the Subject.
- Right to freedom of religion and other freedoms must be jealously guarded and rights of minorities and fellow citizens respected.
- Reform of the whole process of education is an immediate but immense need, as is the need to free it from governmental or political control; it is only through education that will power to adhere to our Fundamental Duties as citizens can be inculcated.
- Duty to vote at elections, actively participate in the democratic process of governance and to pay taxes should be included in article 51A.
