Simone Lawson
The Constitution of India was drafted by the Constituent Assembly, which was elected by members of the provincial assemblies. The assembly, which first met on 9 December 1946, took almost three years (2 years, 11 months, and 18 days, to be precise) to complete its task of drafting the Constitution for Independent India. During this period, it held eleven sessions over a 165-day period. The Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949, and the remaining articles became effective on 26 January 1950, which is celebrated annually in India as Republic Day.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Total time taken to frame the constitution | 2 years, 11 months and 18 days |
| Number of sessions held | 11 |
| Total number of days the sessions covered | 165 |
| Number of days spent on the consideration of the Draft Constitution | 114 |
| Date the constitution was adopted | 26 November 1949 |
| Date the constitution came into effect | 26 January 1950 |
| Date the National Anthem of India was adopted | 24 January 1950 |
| Date the National Flag of India was adopted | 22 July 1947 |
| Date the Constituent Assembly met for the first time | 9 December 1946 |
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What You'll Learn
The Constituent Assembly held eleven sessions over 165 days
The Constituent Assembly of India was a 389-member assembly that was elected by the members of the provincial assemblies. It took almost three years, or to be precise, two years, eleven months and eighteen days, to complete the task of drafting the Constitution for Independent India. During this period, the Constituent Assembly held eleven sessions over 165 days.
The Assembly first met on 9 December 1946, and reassembled on 14 August 1947 as a sovereign body and successor to the British Parliament's authority in India. The constitution was drafted by a seven-member drafting committee, appointed on 29 August 1947, with B. R. Ambedkar as its chair. Ambedkar is recognised as the "Father of the Indian Constitution", having studied the constitutions of about 60 countries during the drafting process.
The initial draft of the Constitution was prepared by the Assembly's constitutional advisor, Sir B. N. Rau, in February 1948. Rau's draft consisted of 243 articles and 13 schedules, which, after discussions, debates, and amendments, became 395 articles and 8 schedules. The Constituent Assembly held eleven sessions over a 165-day period, of which 114 days were spent on the consideration of the Draft Constitution.
On 26 November 1949, 284 members of the Assembly signed the final approved Constitution of the Indian Assembly. The Constitution of India was adopted on 26 November 1949, with the remaining articles coming into effect on 26 January 1950, which is celebrated annually in India as Republic Day.
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The Indian Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949
The Indian Constitution, declaring India a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic, was adopted on 26 November 1949. It was on this day that 284 members of the 299-member Constituent Assembly, elected by the provincial assemblies, signed the final approved Constitution of the Indian Assembly. The Constituent Assembly took almost three years, or more specifically, two years, eleven months, and eighteen days, to complete its task of drafting the Constitution for Independent India. The Constituent Assembly held eleven sessions over a 165-day period, with 114 of those days spent considering the Draft Constitution. The constitution was drawn from a number of sources, including previous legislation such as the Government of India Acts of 1858, 1919, and 1935, as well as the Indian Independence Act of 1947. The latter act, which led to the creation of Pakistan, divided the Constituent Assembly into two.
The Constituent Assembly first met on 9 December 1946, and reassembled on 14 August 1947 as a sovereign body and successor to the British Parliament's authority in India. The assembly's constitutional advisor, Sir B. N. Rau, prepared an initial draft of the constitution in February 1948, which consisted of 243 articles and 13 schedules. This draft was then considered, debated, and amended by the seven-member drafting committee, which was appointed on 29 August 1947 with B. R. Ambedkar as its chair. Dr Ambedkar is recognised as the "Father of the Indian Constitution", having studied the constitutions of about 60 countries during the drafting process.
The Indian Constitution came into effect on 26 January 1950, which is celebrated annually in India as Republic Day. On this day, the remaining articles of the Constitution came into force, and India ceased to be a dominion of the British Crown. The original 1950 constitution is preserved in a nitrogen-filled case at the Parliament Library Building in New Delhi.
The Indian Constitution has been translated into various languages. For instance, it was first translated from English into Odia and published on 1 April 1981. On 26 November 2023, the diglot edition of the Constitution of India was released in the Meetei Mayek (or Meitei writing system) in the Manipuri language and English. This edition was released as part of the Constitution Day celebrations (National Law Day) and was made available in educational institutions, government offices, and public libraries across the state of Manipur.
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Republic Day is celebrated on 26 January
The Constituent Assembly of India took almost three years (two years, eleven months and eighteen days to be precise) to complete its task of drafting the Constitution for Independent India. During this period, it held eleven sessions covering a total of 165 days. The original 1950 constitution is preserved in a nitrogen-filled case at the Parliament Library Building in New Delhi.
The Constituent Assembly met for the first time on 9 December 1946, reassembling on 14 August 1947 as a sovereign body and successor to the British parliament's authority in India. The assembly's constitutional advisor, Sir B. N. Rau, prepared an initial draft in February 1948. Rau's draft consisted of 243 articles and 13 schedules which came to 395 articles and 8 schedules after discussions, debates and amendments. The constitution was drafted by the 389-member assembly (reduced to 299 after the partition of India).
On 26 November 1949, 284 members of the Constituent Assembly signed the final approved Constitution of the Indian Assembly. The remaining articles of the constitution came into effect on 26 January 1950, which is celebrated annually in India as Republic Day. This was the date when Articles 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 60, 324, 366, 367, 379, 380, 388, 391, 392, 393, and 394 of the constitution came into force. On this date, India ceased to be a dominion of the British Crown and became a sovereign, democratic republic with the constitution.
Republic Day is celebrated with a grand parade in New Delhi, showcasing India's defence capabilities, cultural and social heritage, and development progress. It is a national holiday, and the festivities include a variety of official ceremonies and cultural programmes.
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The original 1950 constitution is preserved in New Delhi
The Constitution of India is the country's supreme legal document. It is also the longest written national constitution in the world. The document lays down the framework that demarcates the fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions. It also sets out the fundamental rights, directive principles, and duties of citizens. The Constitution of India declares India a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic, assuring its citizens justice, equality, and liberty, and endeavouring to promote fraternity.
The Constitution of India was drafted by the Constituent Assembly, which was made up of elected members of the provincial assemblies. The 389-member assembly (reduced to 299 after the partition of India) took almost three years to draft the constitution, holding eleven sessions over a 165-day period. The constitution was approved by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949, and came into effect on January 26, 1950, which is celebrated every year in India as Republic Day.
The original 1950 constitution is preserved in a nitrogen-filled case at the Parliament Library Building in New Delhi. There are three original copies of the Constitution of India, all kept in the Central Library of the Parliament. The original copy of the Constitution is 22 inches long and 16 inches wide. It is kept with utmost care to ensure that it is not spoiled. Before being placed in the nitrogen-filled case, the original copy was signed by 284 members of the Constituent Assembly on January 24, 1950. Interestingly, the first signature on the copy was not that of the then President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad, but of the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
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The Constituent Assembly was a 389-member assembly
The Constituent Assembly, a body of 389 members (reduced to 299 after the partition of India), was responsible for drafting the Constitution of India. The Assembly first convened on December 9, 1946, and over a period of almost three years, it held eleven sessions spread across 165 days. The final draft of the Constitution was signed by 284 members of the Assembly on November 26, 1949, and it came into effect on January 26, 1950, marking India's transition to a sovereign, democratic republic.
The Constituent Assembly's task was to create a constitution that addressed India's specific needs and circumstances. To achieve this, the Assembly borrowed elements from previous legislation, including the Government of India Acts of 1858, 1919, and 1935, as well as the Indian Councils Acts of 1861, 1892, and 1909, and the Indian Independence Act of 1947, which had resulted in the division of the Constituent Assembly into two.
The Assembly's constitutional advisor, Sir B. N. Rau, played a pivotal role in the process. Rau, who was also the first Indian judge at the International Court of Justice, prepared the initial draft of the constitution in February 1948. This preliminary version included 243 articles and 13 schedules, which were then discussed, debated, and amended by the Assembly's seven-member drafting committee, chaired by B. R. Ambedkar, who is now known as the "Father of the Indian Constitution."
The drafting committee's work culminated in a final version of the constitution, comprising 395 articles and 8 schedules. This comprehensive document was carefully crafted to ensure India's constitutional autochthony, repealing prior acts of the British Parliament, such as the Indian Independence Act of 1947 and the Government of India Act of 1935. The constitution declares India a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic, guaranteeing its citizens justice, equality, and liberty, and promoting fraternity.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constituent Assembly took almost three years (2 years, 11 months and 18 days to be precise) to complete its task of drafting the Constitution for Independent India.
The Constituent Assembly held eleven sessions over a 165-day period.
The Constituent Assembly first met on 9 December 1946.
