Issued orders to spread awareness of fundamental duties, Karnataka tells SC

The Karnataka government has told the Supreme Court it has issued orders to all the departments to circulate list of fundamental duties.

"For spreading awareness to the citizens towards their fundamental duties, specific directions have been issued to all the concerned departments of Karnataka for its effective implementation in the said Circular, issued on May 13," the law department said.

In a written response to a PIL by advocate Durga Dutt, the state government said the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority is also spreading awareness amongst citizens about fundamental duties through several law colleges and through district judiciary.

Since January to October, this year, 357 programmes are conducted by Karnataka State Legal Services Authority in 30 districts and 65,159 persons are attended these programmes, it said.

The government also said the Karnataka Institute for Law and Parliamentary Reform (KILPAR) is also spreading awareness amongst citizens about fundamental duties through several Law Colleges, Degree Colleges and various institutions throughout the state.

Besides, various government training institutions are also spreading awareness as to fundamental duties to all government officers/officials in the state, it added.

On Tuesday, senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the petition, submitted before a bench presided over by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul that Attorney General took time to file affidavit on behalf of the Union government.

The court allowed time to the Union government further time, saying it would impose Rs 25,000 cost if no affidavit was filed within the time in the PIL for taking steps to sensitise people about performance of fundamental duties enshrined under the Constitution.

On February 21, the court had sought a reply from the Union government and States as the petitioner's advocate contended everybody is clamouring for rights, nobody cares about duties enjoined under the Part IV A of the Constitution.

The counsel had pointed out Part IV A was added to the Constitution in 1977 as the duties flowed from the fundamental rights.