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VOL. 11, ISSUE 1 (2026)
Transformative constitutionalism in India: bridging Articles 14–17 and lived realities for Dalit (Shudra) communities
Authors
Murugaiyan R, Dr. Akhilesh Kumar Pandey
Abstract
This article examines
the implementation of India’s constitutional equality provisions (Articles
14–17) through the lens of transformative constitutionalism. While these
provisions formally guarantee equality before the law, prohibit discrimination,
ensure equality of opportunity in public employment, and abolish
untouchability, persistent disparities reveal a profound gap between rights on
paper and lived experiences of Dalit (Shudra) communities. Using a
mixed-methods desk-based approach—combining doctrinal review, secondary
empirical evidence, and institutional analysis—the paper maps how
constitutional promises encounter bottlenecks at multiple levels. Findings
identify five recurrent gaps: over-broad design mandates, limited institutional
capacity, procedural barriers in enforcement, weak accountability mechanisms,
and deficits in community trust. Despite these challenges, localized
innovations such as fast-track atrocity courts, paralegal networks, and
university anti-discrimination cells demonstrate that targeted interventions
can improve outcomes. To conceptualize this dynamic, the study introduces a
“Constitution-to-Community Bridge (C2CB)” model, which traces how
constitutional norms must be translated through institutions, processes, and
outcomes, with feedback from affected communities. The model provides a
diagnostic tool to identify which link in the chain fails and a reform agenda
for clarifying positive obligations, strengthening administrative and judicial
capacity, ensuring transparency, and empowering marginalized communities. The
article contributes both to Indian constitutional scholarship and to
comparative debates on how constitutions can function as instruments of social
transformation in deeply hierarchical societies.
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Pages:5-11
How to cite this article:
Murugaiyan R, Dr. Akhilesh Kumar Pandey "Transformative constitutionalism in India: bridging Articles 14–17 and lived realities for Dalit (Shudra) communities". National Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development, Vol 11, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 5-11
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