My friend Budhirakshasan informed me that a Constitutional Amendment of the Third Schedule of the Constitution of India is to be introduced in the Winter Session of the Parliament. It is expected that the Amendment will be passed unanimously. It is also felt that the Amendment is necessary to keep in line with the changes that have taken place in the political and governance scenario.
If you are wondering what it pertains to, then it is about changing the wordings of the oath of office taken by the Ministers of the Union Council of Ministers.
The current clause is as follows,
THIRD SCHEDULE
[Articles 75(4), 99, 124(6), 148(2), 164(3), 188 and 2191
Forms of Oaths or Affirmations
I. Form of oath of office for a Minister for the Union :
I, Mr./Ms....................................., do swear in the name of God that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India as by law established, that I will uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India that I will faithfully and conscientiously discharge my duties as a Minister for the Union and that I will do right to all manner of people in accordance with the Constitution and the law, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.
The proposed amendment is as follows,
I, Mr./Ms....................................., do swear in the name of God that I will bear true faith and allegiance to myself, my family, my friends, my business cronies, people who funded my election/party against the law established, that I will uphold their best interests at all time, that I will unfaithfully and unconscientiously discharge my duties as a Minister for the Union and that I will do wrong to all manner of people in violation of the Constitution and the law, without fear or favour, but with affection or ill-will.
