Indian Polity & Governance·Amendments

Communal Harmony and Secularism — Amendments

Updated 9 Mar 2026
AmendmentYearDescriptionImpact
42nd Constitutional Amendment Act1976Inserted the word 'Secular' into the Preamble of the Indian Constitution, explicitly declaring India a 'Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic'.Formalized and reinforced the implicit secular ethos of the Constitution, making it an undeniable foundational principle. It provided a clear constitutional mandate for the state's neutrality and equal respect for all religions, strengthening the legal basis for secular governance.