NEW DELHI: A five-judge bench of Supreme Court led by CJI B R Gavai on Wednesday repelled suggestions that the Constitution should not lean too much towards the Centre to maintain its federal character and said our Constitution had become stronger and stood the test of time despite internal and external disturbances.CJI Gavai cited examples from India’s disturbed neighbourhood – specifically referring to the unrest in Nepal, which promulgated its seventh Constitution on Sep 20, 2015 – and said the dynamic character of the Indian Constitution had helped the country emerge stronger with time.CJI Gavai recalled Dr B R Ambedkar’s speech on Oct 3, 1948, where he had dispelled apprehensions of members of the Constituent Assembly that India’s Constitution was leaning too much towards the Centre in distribution of power. The CJI said Ambedkar had said the Indian Constitution was one of the best in the world and had exuded confidence that it would keep the country strong during peace as well as war. tnn
