Constitution Day marked by education, awareness(2)

A DAY TO NURTURE RESPECT FOR THE CONSTITUTION

Lin Laifan of the law school of Tsinghua University said, "Fully implementing the Constitution is the primary objective and a basic task for building a socialist country under rule of law."

He said the day is important because it is conducive to nurturing an atmosphere of respecting and upholding the Constitution.

According to Han, awareness of the Constitution among many civil servants, including officials, is weak, which has led to disoriented social values and disrespect for the Constitution.

Observing Constitution Day and requiring government officials to pledge their allegiance to the Constitution before taking office are concrete measures to raise their awareness.

For ordinary people, the day was also significant because the Constitution protects citizens' basic rights, according to Lin.

Lin added that citizens should use the Constitution to participate in the supervision of public power and safeguard their legal rights.

According to Li Shishi, director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, some local regulations or regulations issued by ministries have contradicted the Constitution.

The official said an inspection system will be enhanced to prevent contradictory regulations, and channels will be set up to help people report such regulations.

The Constitution was adopted on Dec. 4, 1982, and the day used to be observed as "national legal system publicity day."

The idea to observe a national Constitution Day was put forward at a Communist Party of China (CPC) meeting in October on the rule of law.

Top legislator Zhang Dejiang told a symposium on the Constitution on Wednesday that the purpose of the day was to firmly establish the authority of the Constitution and ensure its full implementation.

Zhang called on all authorities to enhance legal consciousness and put the Party's cause, the people's interest, the Constitution and laws first in mind.

He asked the authorities to reorganize the legal system with a focus on the Constitution.

On the first Constitution Day, Meng Jianzhu, secretary of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, visited the Supreme People's Court, urging the country's judges to make full use of the principle of the rule of law to fulfil their duty and promote justice.

"Concrete actions should be taken to show the people that the law doesn't tolerate emotions or favor the rich and powerful, and more efforts are needed to boost judicial justice and the credibility of law enforcement," Meng said.

The inaugural day was set up last month following a key CPC meeting that adopted decisions that stressed the supreme authority of the Constitution, and promised wide ranging changes to the judicial system.