Introduction

The Constitution is not simply a fixed rulebook — it is a living document capable of extending its own meaning of social justice over time. Consider the Directive Principle on Village Panchayats: K. Santhanam first put it forward during the Constituent Assembly's own debates, yet it took more than forty years to become a binding constitutional requirement, arriving only with the 73rd Amendment of 1992. Rather than merely listing what is and is not permitted, the Constitution has repeatedly proven capable of having its own guarantees read more broadly over time — a process in which social movements themselves have played a part, pushing courts and authorities toward interpretations of rights and principles that keep pace with a changing understanding of social justice.