Indian Constitution's weakest point is the ease with which we can amend it: Justice Dama Seshadri Naidu

One of the biggest weaknesses of our Constitution is the ease with which we are able to make amendments to it, Justice Dama Seshadri Naidu opined on Thursday. .The scope for amendments with respect to substantive provisions of the Constitution should be made more stringent, the Bombay High Court judge said. ."Our weakest point is the ease with which we amend the Constitution. When it comes to substantive law, it should be somewhat, more immune to amendment and giving leeway for the procedural aspects. As far as Article 368 is concerned, I would like to have stringent options available to amend the substantive aspects, Basic Structure (of the constitution) notwithstanding," said Justice Naidu. .Our weakest point is the ease with which we amend the Constitution.Justice Dama Seshardi Naidu.He was speaking at the fourth Annual Public Lecture orgaznied by the policy think tank, Vidhi Centre of Legal Policy on the subject 'Constitutional Culture in Public Life'..On the right to protest, Justice Naidu opined that it cannot be used as tool to disrupt public lives but should instead be held at designated places, a view which was recently taken by the Supreme Court in its judgment relating to anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests at Shaheen Bagh. ."The right to protest cannot be free for all in way of disrupting public life. The very purpose of protest is to ensure that the people will sit up and hear, pay attention to you. It (Right to protest) does not mean that you need to disrupt, so that you will be listened to. Instead, as in the American Constitution, there ought to be a designated space where you can stand and protest without affecting public lives, register your protest and move on," the judge said. There should be some 'regulating feature' to manage protests and 'hartals', he added. .Right to protest does not mean that you need to disrupt public life, so that you will be listened to.Justice Dama Seshadri Naidu.Justice Naidu also said that the Indian Constitution is a document of compromises among conflicting values, both individual and of the society. ."Indian constitution is an ever-growing and ever-expanding constitution", he said..At this juncture, he also proceeded to quote Dr. BR Ambedkar, who had once opined that democracy was only a "top dressing" in India.."Dr. BR Ambedkar warned us that democracy in India is only a top dressing on an Indian soil, and that the Indian society is undemocratic.".Towards the end of his address, Justice Naidu said that he was 'for' the idea of including the topics such as fundamental duties and constitutional education in the school curriculum for the benefit of students. ."That is a fundamental document (the Indian Constitution) that one must be aware of. It (Constitution) is not an elitist document only for the lawyers, it is for the common man," he opined..(Constitution) is not an elitist document only for the lawyers, it is for the common man."Justice Dama Seshadri Naidu.However, while introducing such topics, the same should be made creative for students rather than presenting it as "dry bones", said the judge. .Various features of the American constitution as well as the celebrated decision on abortion rights, Roe vs Wade also found a mention in Justice's Naidu's address..The session ended with a question and answer session followed by vote of thanks.