Protection and improvement of environment and safeguarding of forests and wild life
included in editionWhat does this mean?
The State should protect and improve the environment and safeguard forests and wildlife. This policy direction works alongside legislation, judicial decisions and the citizen duty in Article 51A.
Policy directions for a fairer society, livelihoods, health, education, justice and public institutions.
Why is this provision here?
It makes environmental protection a responsibility of public policy, complemented by citizen duties and implementing law.
Article 48A was introduced in its present subject framework by Amendment 42 (1976), after the original Constitution. The verified sources are the official edition and the linked Amendment Act and Bill statement. Original 1946–1950 Assembly debates predate this insertion and are not presented as its direct drafting reason. The explanation of function above is editorial; the Bill statement supplies the attributed legislative reasons for the later proposal.
The explanation of purpose is an editorial reading of the provision. A drafting motive is attributed only where a linked historical source supports it.
Limits, exceptions & reading carefully
Educational summary of the linked source text. Exceptions, provisos, implementing laws and applicable judgments must be read before applying it to a real case.
Read the official constitutional text
Source-page notes · may concern neighbouring Articles
3. Ins. by the Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976, s. 10 (w.e.f. 3-1-1977).
Extracted from the Legislative Department’s May 2026 edition. Page footnotes may refer to neighbouring provisions; check their markers in the PDF. Inclusion in this edition does not by itself establish commencement or judicial effect.