Preamble — Legal Reforms

Entry	Year	Description	Impact
42nd Amendment	1976	Added three crucial words to the Preamble: 'Socialist' after 'Sovereign,' 'Secular' after 'Socialist,' and 'integrity' to the phrase about fraternity. This amendment was passed during the Emergency period under Indira Gandhi's government as part of a comprehensive constitutional overhaul that included 59 changes to various articles.	The amendment gave explicit constitutional recognition to India's commitment to socialism and secularism, principles that were previously implicit. It strengthened the constitutional foundation for social and economic justice policies and religious neutrality. The addition of 'integrity' emphasized territorial unity in the face of secessionist challenges. Despite being enacted during the controversial Emergency, these changes have been accepted as enhancing the Constitution's core values and are now considered part of the basic structure that cannot be altered through future amendments.