Keywords: Definition of Law
13. Laws inconsistent with or in derogation of the fundamental rights
(1) Â All laws in force in the territory of India immediately before the commencement of this Constitution, in so far as they are inconsistent with the provisions of this Pan, shall, to the extent of such inconsistency, be void.
(2)Â The State shall not make any law which takes away or abridges the rights conferred by this Part and any law made in contravention of this clause shall, to the extent of the contravention, be void.
(3)Â In this article, unless the context otherwise requires,-
(a)”law” includes any Ordinance, order, bye-law, rule, regulation, notification, custom or usage having in the territory of India the force of law;
(b)”laws in force” includes laws passed or made by Legislature or other competent authority in the territory of India before the commencement of this Constitution and not previously repealed, notwithstanding that any such law or any part thereof may not be then in operation either at all or in particular areas.
(4)Â Nothing in this article shall apply to any amendment of this Constitution made under article 368.
The Concept
In Kesavananda Bharati case [1973 (4) SCC 225] Justice Khanna – “…..no generation has monopoly of wisdom nor has any generation a right to place fetters on future generations to mould the machinery of government and the laws according to their requirements. Although guidelines for the organization and functioning of the future government may be laid down and although norms may also be prescribed for the legislative activity, neither the guidelines should be so rigid nor the norms so inflexible and unalterable as should render them to be incapable of change, alteration and replacement even though the future generations want to change, alter or replace them…….amendment of the constitution necessary contemplates that the Constitution has not to be abrogated but only changes have to be made in it. … … … it is not permissible to touch the foundation or to alter the basic institutional pattern… … … The words ‘amendment of the constitution’ with all their wide sweep and amplitude cannot have the effect of destroying or abrogating the basic structure or framework of the Constitution.