Eleanor Finch
The Indian Constitution is the world's longest for a sovereign nation and the second-longest active constitution in the world, with approximately 145,000 words. It took nearly five years to produce the original constitution, which was hand-written and decorated by artists. It had 395 articles in 22 parts and 8 schedules at the time of its enactment and has since undergone more than 100 amendments.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | Not mentioned, but it has about 145,000 words |
| Number of articles | 470 |
| Number of parts | 25 |
| Number of schedules | 8 |
| Number of amendments | More than 100 |
| Word count | 145,000 |
| World ranking by length | Second longest active constitution |
| Status | World's most frequently amended national governing document |
| Framework | Establishes the structure, procedures, powers and duties of government institutions and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles and the duties of citizens |
| Judicial review | Adopted from the United States |
| Duty | To act as a watchdog, preventing any legislative or executive act from overstepping constitutional bounds |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India
The Indian Constitution provides for a single integrated system of courts to administer both Union and State laws, with the Supreme Court of India at the apex of the entire judicial system. The independence of the judiciary is a part of the basic structure of the Indian Constitution, and the removal of a Supreme Court Judge requires a majority of two-thirds of the members of both Houses of Parliament. The administrative power for determining the work structure of the Court and the Registry vests in the Chief Justice of India, who is assisted by the Secretary-General and other officers and staff. The Attorney General of India is the highest law officer of the country, appointed by the President, and is responsible for advising the Government of India on legal matters and performing other legal duties as assigned by the President.
The Constitution of India also includes treaty-making as part of the executive power given to the President. However, because the President must act on the advice of the Council of Ministers, the Prime Minister is the chief party responsible for making international treaties. The Constitution bestows the power to implement international agreements and treaties on Parliament, making it a dualist constitution. Recent Supreme Court decisions have begun to incorporate aspects of international law without enabling legislation from Parliament, changing this convention.
The Constitution of India is a rich and detailed document that serves as the foundation of the country's legal and governmental systems. It is a source of pride for many Indians and is considered one of the best constitutions in the world.
It is the world's longest written constitution
The Indian Constitution is the world's longest written constitution. At 145,000 words, it is over 30 times longer than the US Constitution, which has 4,400 words. The English-language version of the Indian Constitution has 146,385 words, while the Hindi version has 145,000 words. The Monaco Constitution, by contrast, is the world's shortest written constitution, with 3,814 words.
The Indian Constitution was composed between 1947 and 1950 and came into effect on January 26, 1950, India's Republic Day. The original text contained 395 articles in 22 parts and eight schedules. The number of articles has since increased to 448 due to 100 amendments. The most recent changes were made on July 1, 2017. The Constitution lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishes the structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens.
The bulkiness of the Indian Constitution can be attributed to several factors, including the country's diversity in terms of language, race, religion, culture, and geography. Additionally, the constitution incorporates characteristics and influences from many countries' constitutions. For example, the Government of India Act of 1935 had a far-reaching impact on the Indian Constitution, with the majority of its provisions being incorporated, either directly or indirectly, into the document.
Critics have argued that the length of the Indian Constitution may be a weakness, leading to a lack of unanimity in understanding the rules and guidelines. However, others have praised the constitution for its rich language and size, with some expressing that reading it fills them with patriotism.
It has 470 articles, previously 395
The Indian Constitution is the supreme law of India. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishes the structure, procedures, powers and duties of government institutions, and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens. The Constitution of India contains 448 articles in 25 parts, 12 schedules, and 5 appendices, with more than 100 amendments. Originally, the Indian Constitution contained 395 articles in 22 parts.
Articles 1-13 of the Indian Constitution cover a range of topics, including the name and territory of the union, the admission and establishment of new states, the formation of new states and the alteration of areas, boundaries, and names of existing states, citizenship, and the rights of citizenship. The Constitution initially provided for seven basic fundamental rights, but this has since been amended, and there are now only six fundamental rights.
Article 30, for example, states that all minorities, whether based on religion or language, have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice. The word secular was added to the Indian Constitution in 1976, and it is worth noting that the preamble accepted on 26 November 1949 did not include secularism.
Articles 371-395 cover a range of provisions, including those relating to the state of Karnataka, the continuance in force of existing laws and their adaptation, the power of the President to adapt laws, and the power of the President to make orders regarding persons under preventive detention in certain cases.
The Indian Constitution is a detailed and comprehensive document that has been amended and added to over the years to meet the evolving needs of the nation and its people. The rich language and size of the Constitution are a source of pride and patriotism for many Indians.
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It was written by Dr B.R. Ambedkar
The Indian Constitution, which came into force on 25 November 1949, is the supreme law of India. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishes the structure, procedures, powers and duties of government institutions, and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens. The constitution was drafted by a 299-member constituent assembly, which worked on it for three years between 1946 and 1949.
The constitution is often seen as synonymous with Dr B.R. Ambedkar, who is known as the "father of the Indian Constitution". He was the Chairman of the Assembly's most crucial committee – the Drafting Committee – and a member of other important committees. As Chairman, he had to defend the Draft Constitution, which the Committee prepared, and therefore intervened in nearly every debate. On behalf of the Scheduled Caste Federation party, Ambedkar wrote and submitted 'States and Minorities' to the Constituent Assembly’s Sub-Committee on Fundamental Rights. A mini-constitution in itself, 'States and Minorities' framed strong constitutional protection for the Scheduled Caste community.
Ambedkar's stature helped him secure widespread local and international support for his role in the constitution-making process. Five of the seven members of the drafting committee were upper-caste, but they all asked Ambedkar, who was known as the champion of India's "depressed classes", to lead the committee. Eamon De Valera, the Irish statesman who supported the Indian freedom movement, also recommended Ambedkar for the position. In a letter, Edwina Mountbatten, the last vicereine, wrote to Ambedkar that she was "personally glad" that he was "supervising" the constitution-making, as he was the "only genius who can give equal justice to every class and creed".
Ambedkar's interventions and speeches on various aspects of the Constitution were insightful, well-reasoned, and scrupulously researched. This won him the support and respect of other members of the Assembly, who appreciated his leadership of the constitution-making project. In his concluding speech to the Constituent Assembly on 25 November 1949, Ambedkar said:
> The credit that is given to me does not really belong to me. It belongs partly to Sir B.N. Rau the Constitutional Advisor to the Constituent Assembly who prepared a rough draft of the Constitution for the consideration of the Drafting Committee.
Ambedkar was one of the ministers who argued for extensive economic and social rights for women, and won the Assembly's support for introducing a system of reservations of jobs in the civil services, schools, and colleges for members of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, and Other Backward Classes. He also played a key role in the abolition of untouchability and the outlawing of all forms of discrimination.
It has been amended over 100 times
The Indian Constitution, considered the soul of Indian democracy, has been amended over 100 times since the country gained independence. It took almost four years to draft the Indian Constitution, which became the longest-written constitution in the world. It only took one year for the Constitution to be amended for the first time, and as of November 2024, there have been 106 amendments.
The first type of amendment can be passed by a simple majority in each house of the Indian Parliament. The second type of amendment requires a 'special majority' in each house of Parliament. The third type of amendment requires, in addition to such a "special majority", ratification by at least half of the state legislatures. The Indian Constitution is the most amended national constitution globally.
The first-ever amendment was made on 18 June 1951, when Article 15 (which prohibits discrimination based on caste and religion), Article 19, and other significant articles (85, 87, and 174) were introduced. The Eighty-Sixth Amendment provided the Right to Education for children aged six to fourteen and Early Childhood Care until six years of age.
The Constitution also witnessed a dark period of emergency when its fundamental structure was in crisis. Despite this, the freedom and rights enjoyed by Indians today are due to the blood, sweat, and sacrifices of countless ancestors who fought valiantly for India's sovereignty.
Frequently asked questions
The Indian Constitution is the world's longest written constitution for a sovereign nation. It has 470 articles, a preamble, and 25 parts.
The Indian Constitution is approximately 145,000 words long.
The Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Constitution on 26 November 1949.
The Indian Constitution became the law of India on 26 January 1950.
The Indian Constitution has had more than 100 amendments since it was enacted. It is the world's most frequently amended national governing document.
