Article 18 of the Indian Constitution is related to the abolition of titles. This article says that the State can bestow no title that is not military or academic. In addition, no person within the territory of India can accept or entertain any title from any foreign state.
Article 18 of the Indian Constitution.
- This article was included in the Constitution to address the status of citizens under the Constitution. Titles were considered to be against the issue of equality.
- There were a lot of heated debates within the Constituent Assembly regarding the complete elimination of titles of nobility or their partial removal. Finally, Article 18 was a middle ground between the two extremes.
Wolters regarding Article 18
The State is barred from endorsing or awarding titles, save for military and academic honors. One may receive a title for bravery in a battle or any combative capacity assigned to them by the military or the government or for their academic performance in a university.
Indian citizens cannot accept titles from any foreign state. Foreign dignitaries can award titles to Indian citizens, but those titles cannot be used within India.
Analysis of Article 18
Article 18 also does away with distinctions made due to hierarchically superior titles. This is in line with the Constitution’s principles of equality.
However, some critics have posited that titles are valuable in acknowledging commendable performance in public service. One had to compromise and allow military and academic titles to be considered.
The ban on the use of nobility titles proves national sovereignty and discourages foreign influence. However, globalization has made such strict prohibitions challenging to implement fully, if not virtually impossible.
Judicial Interpretations of Article 18
Some Indian courts have considered holding a title that strengthens the caste differential as unconstitutional as it goes against constitutional values. However, this is allowed if the titles are religious and do not depict any hierarchy.
Before proceeding to the actual analysis of the article, this paper presents the following hypothesis:
Debates on Article 18
Total elimination of titles is also too extreme and goes to extremes. Titles can reward outstanding public service. Restriction on people from receiving foreign honors violates international relations and diplomatic relations between countries.
Reasons for Inclusion of Article 18
Titles foster status differences and distort the concept of recognition of merits. The exceptions to the forms of reference for military and academic titles will be the public service area of the world. Foreign titles lead to split allegiance. It means that globalization cannot overwhelm sovereignty.
Conclusion
Article 18 was a monumental move to construct the new India of equality by eradicating the system of titles. It could accommodate different interests by granting leeway. However, its rigid policy on awarding foreign titles might require reconsideration in the contemporary world. In conclusion, this article should continue to play a role in ensuring that the Constitution of the United States is upheld concerning equality for all citizens.
