RESPONDENT

Citing Article 37 of the Constitution, which relates to application of the

directive principles of the State policy, he observed: The provisions
contained in this Part shall not be enforceable by any court, but the
principles therein laid down are nevertheless fundamental in the
governance of the country and it shall be the duty of the State to apply
these principles in making laws.

It would mean that it is the duty of the State to apply these principles in
making laws and taking executive actions in terms of a defined policy or
otherwise. Obviously, when the laws are made, they are not meant for
being kept in statute books, but to be enforced. So, when the Legislature of
a State makes the Directive Principles applicable in the governance of the
State, one cannot be heard to complain that they are violating the
fundamental rights.

A classification would be reasonable even though a single individual or

object is treated as a class itself, if there are special circumstances or
reasons applicable to him (or it) alone and not applicable to others.1
But wait. Take a step back and look at these numbers: India has the highest number of obese
and overweight people after the US and China, according to a 2015 survey by the
Malnutrition Mapping Project, an education and advocacy tool created to map global
malnutrition trends by the non-profit Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, in association
with the direct-selling company Amway. The percentage of overweight or obese people in
most Indian states has doubled in the past decade, according to the 2015-16 National Health
Survey. One-third of teenagers in metrosDelhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluruare
obese. And 80% of these teenagers will continue to be obese even in adulthood, says Pradeep

1
Ramkishan Dalmia v. tendolkar, 1955 SCR 279 ; Govindlalji v. State of rajhasthan, (1964) 1
sc
Chowbey, chairman of the Max Institute of Minimal Access, Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
at the Max Super Speciality Hospital in Saket in the Capital.

Those are scary numbers, considering that the trend started only in 1999, owing to
globalization, increase in income and sedentary lifestyles, says Dr Chowbey, who is also the
vice-chairman of Max Healthcare.