Constitutional Values and the Preamble of the Constitution Have you read the Preamble to the Indian Constitution printed in the beginning of this material? As has been stated above, the constitutional values are reflected in the entire Constitution of India, but its Preamble EMBODIES ‘the FUNDAMENTAL values and the philosophy on which the Constitution is based’. The Preamble to any Constitution is a brief introductory statement that conveys the guiding principles of the document. The Preamble to the Indian Constitution also does so. The values expressed in the Preamble are expressed as objectives of the Constitution. These are: sovereignty, socialism, secularism, democracy, republican character of Indian State, justice, liberty, equality, FRATERNITY, human dignity and the unity and integrity of the Nation. Let us discuss these constitutional values: 1. Sovereignty: You may have read the Preamble. It declares India “a sovereign socialist secular democratic republic”. Being sovereign means having complete political freedom and being the supreme authority. It implies that India is INTERNALLY all powerful and externally free. It is free to determine for itself without any external interference (either by any country or individual) and nobody is there within to challenge its authority. This feature of sovereignty gives us the dignity of existence as a nation in the international community. Though the Constitution does not specify where the sovereign authority lies but a mention of ‘We the People of India’ in the Preamble clearly INDICATES that sovereignty rests with the people of India. This means that the constitutional authorities and organs of government derive their power only from the people.Explanation: