According to Dr B. R. Ambedkar, which Article of the Constitution of India is the most important and has been described as the “heart and soul” of the Constitution?

Introduction / Context:
Dr B. R. Ambedkar, the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly, made several important remarks about the provisions of the Constitution of India. One of his most quoted statements concerns a particular Article that he described as the heart and soul of the Constitution because it gives citizens a powerful remedy to protect their fundamental rights. This question asks you to recall which Article he considered so central.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The options include Article 21, Article 24, Article 32 and Article 256.
- Dr Ambedkar referred to one of these Articles as the heart and soul of the Constitution.
- The Article in question must be closely connected with enforcement of fundamental rights.
- The learner is assumed to be aware of the basic content of these Articles, especially the one relating to constitutional remedies.

Concept / Approach:
Article 32 of the Constitution of India provides the right to constitutional remedies, allowing individuals to move the Supreme Court directly for enforcement of fundamental rights. Dr Ambedkar emphasised that without such a remedy, fundamental rights would be ineffective, which is why he called Article 32 the heart and soul of the Constitution. Articles 21 and 24 deal with specific rights, and Article 256 deals with the obligation of States and the Union, but none of these were given the same description by Dr Ambedkar. The approach is to match his famous statement to Article 32.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that fundamental rights are only meaningful if there is an effective remedy when they are violated. Step 2: Remember that Article 32 empowers citizens to approach the Supreme Court directly for enforcement of their fundamental rights and authorises the Court to issue writs. Step 3: Dr Ambedkar highlighted the importance of this Article in the Constituent Assembly and described it as the heart and soul of the Constitution. Step 4: Article 21 deals with protection of life and personal liberty, which is extremely important but was not specifically given this particular phrase by Dr Ambedkar. Step 5: Article 24 prohibits child labour in certain hazardous employments, and Article 256 deals with the obligation of States and the Union, neither of which were described as the heart and soul of the Constitution. Step 6: Therefore, the Article referred to by Dr Ambedkar is Article 32.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard Indian polity textbooks and discussions of the Constituent Assembly debates consistently quote Dr Ambedkar's statement describing Article 32 as the heart and soul of the Constitution. They emphasise that this Article guarantees the right to move the Supreme Court for enforcement of fundamental rights. No similar description is attributed to Articles 21, 24 or 256 in authoritative sources. This repeated emphasis across references confirms that Article 32 is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, Article 21, is wrong because although it is one of the most important fundamental rights relating to life and personal liberty, it was not the Article that Dr Ambedkar described as the heart and soul of the Constitution.

Option B, Article 24, is wrong because it specifically deals with prohibition of child labour in certain hazardous occupations and was not singled out by Dr Ambedkar in this way.

Option D, Article 256, is wrong because it concerns the obligation of States and the Union to ensure that State governments act in accordance with the Constitution, and has no direct connection with the enforcement of fundamental rights through the Supreme Court.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to choose Article 21 because it is widely regarded as one of the most significant fundamental rights and has been expansively interpreted by the Supreme Court. However, the question is not about which Article is substantively broadest; it is about which Article Dr Ambedkar explicitly labelled as the heart and soul of the Constitution. Another mistake is to assume that any important rights provision could have been given that description without recalling the specific historical context of the Constituent Assembly debates. Careful reading of standard references helps avoid this confusion.

Final Answer:
According to Dr B. R. Ambedkar, Article 32 is the most important Article and is the heart and soul of the Constitution of India.