Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and the Heart and Soul of the Indian Constitution

The question asks which specific article of the Indian Constitution was described as the 'heart and soul' of the constitution by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, who was the chairman of the drafting committee of the Constitution.

Let's examine the given options:

• Article 356: This article deals with the imposition of President's Rule in a state if the constitutional machinery fails. While important for federal structure, it is not considered the 'heart and soul'.
• Article 32: This article guarantees the 'Right to Constitutional Remedies'. It provides citizens the right to move the Supreme Court for the enforcement of their Fundamental Rights.
• Article 19: This article guarantees certain freedoms, such as freedom of speech and expression, assembly, association, movement, residence, and profession. These are fundamental rights, but Article 32 is the mechanism to enforce them.
• Article 24: This article prohibits the employment of children below the age of 14 in factories, mines, or any other hazardous employment. This is part of the Right against Exploitation, a fundamental right.

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar famously stated that Article 32 is the 'heart and soul' of the Indian Constitution. He emphasized its importance because it makes the fundamental rights real by providing a remedy for their enforcement. Without the right to move the Supreme Court to protect fundamental rights, the rights themselves would be meaningless.

Therefore, the article that Dr. B. R. Ambedkar referred to as the 'heart and soul' of the constitution is Article 32.