
The Indian Constitution is the lengthiest written constitution in the world, comprising 448 articles and 12 schedules. It establishes India as a 'Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic' with a parliamentary form of government. The Constitution of India is unique in its combination of rigidity and flexibility, and its federal system of governance, with a division of powers between the executive, judiciary and legislature. It establishes a dual system of government, with power divided between the centre and the states. The Indian Constitution grants all citizens Fundamental Rights and empowers the independent judiciary to invalidate legislations or government actions that violate the Constitution.
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What You'll Learn

The Indian Constitution is the lengthiest written constitution in the world
The constitution establishes a dual system of government, with two governments and a division of powers between the executive, judiciary, and legislature. It provides for a single integrated system of courts, with the Supreme Court at the top, followed by High Courts at the state level, and district and other subordinate courts below. The Supreme Court is a federal court, the highest court of appeal, and the guardian of the constitution and citizens' fundamental rights.
The Indian Constitution grants all citizens fundamental rights and empowers the independent judiciary to invalidate legislation or government actions that violate it. It also contains Directive Principles of State Policy, which set out the aims and objectives for the state in governing the country. These principles can be classified into three broad categories: Socialistic, Gandhian, and Liberal-intellectual.
The constitution establishes a parliamentary system at the Centre and in the States, with the role of the Prime Minister becoming significant, leading to a 'Prime Ministerial Government'. It also provides for three types of amendments, ranging from simple to most difficult procedures, depending on the nature of the amendment. The constitution is unique in its combination of rigidity and flexibility, accommodating the vast diversity of the country.
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It is a blend of rigidity and flexibility
The Indian Constitution is a blend of rigidity and flexibility. It is classified as a rigid constitution because it requires a special procedure for its amendment. For instance, some provisions can be amended by a special majority of the Parliament, i.e., a two-thirds majority of the members of each House present and voting, and a majority of more than 50% of the total membership of each House. However, it is also flexible because some provisions can be amended by a simple majority of the Parliament in the same manner as ordinary laws are made. The Indian Constitution provides for three types of amendments, ranging from simple to most difficult procedures, depending on the nature of the amendment.
The Constitution establishes a federal system of government with a parliamentary form of government. It contains all the usual features of a federation, such as two governments, division of powers, a written constitution, the supremacy of the constitution, the rigidity of the constitution, an independent judiciary, and bicameralism. However, it also contains a large number of unitary or non-federal features, such as a strong centre, a single constitution, the appointment of a state governor by the centre, all-India services, and emergency provisions that can modify the constitution into a unitary one.
The Indian Constitution establishes the parliamentary system at the Centre and in the States. The role of the Prime Minister has become so significant in this system that it is called a 'Prime Ministerial Government'. The Indian Constitution also grants all citizens Fundamental Rights and empowers the independent judiciary to invalidate legislations or government actions that violate the Constitution. The Directive Principles of State Policy, contained in Part IV of the Constitution, set out the aims and objectives to be taken by the state in the governance of the country.
The Constitution of India is the lengthiest and most detailed of all the written constitutions of the world. It is structured into various parts, each dealing with a specific aspect of the country's legal, administrative, or governmental framework. It was created by a constituent assembly and not by the Parliament of India and was adopted by its people with a declaration in its preamble. The final draft of the Constitution was introduced in the Constituent Assembly on 4th November 1948 and was passed by the Constituent Assembly on 26th November 1949.
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It establishes a federal system of government
The Indian Constitution establishes a federal system of government, which means it contains the usual features of a federation, such as two governments, a division of powers, a written constitution, the supremacy of the constitution, the rigidity of the constitution, an independent judiciary, and bicameralism.
The federal features of governance include a dual system of government, i.e., a centre and states, and a division of powers between the executive, judiciary, and legislature, which are the three organs of the state. The supremacy of the constitution and the independence of the judiciary are also part of the basic structure of the Indian Constitution. The constitution grants all citizens fundamental rights and empowers the independent judiciary to invalidate legislations or government actions that violate the constitution.
The Indian Constitution establishes the parliamentary system at the Centre and in the States. The role of the Prime Minister has become so significant in this system that it is called a 'Prime Ministerial Government'. The Indian Constitution chose the British Parliamentary system of government over the American Presidential System of Government. The Parliamentary system is based on the principle of cooperation and coordination between the legislative and executive organs, while the Presidential system is based on the doctrine of separation of powers between the two organs.
The Indian Constitution also contains a large number of unitary or non-federal features, such as a strong Centre, a single Constitution, the appointment of a state governor by the Centre, all-India services, and emergency provisions that can modify the Constitution into a unitary one. The Constitution of India establishes a federal system of governance between the Union and the States, with a separation of powers between the three organs of the Government.
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It grants all citizens fundamental rights
The Indian Constitution grants all citizens fundamental rights. These rights are meant to promote the idea of political democracy and act as limitations on the tyranny of the executive and arbitrary laws of the legislature. The Supreme Court of India is the guarantor of these fundamental rights and the guardian of the Constitution.
The Constitution establishes a federal system of government, with two governments and a division of powers between the executive, judiciary and legislature—the three organs of the state. It also establishes the independence of the judiciary, which is essential for impartial adjudication of disputes between individuals, the Union and State, and between the Union/State and individuals. The judiciary's independence is further demonstrated by its power to invalidate legislations or government actions that violate the Constitution.
The Indian Constitution establishes the parliamentary system at the Centre and in the States. This system is based on the principle of cooperation and coordination between the legislative and executive organs. It differs from the British system, which follows the doctrine of the sovereignty of Parliament, and the American system, which follows the principle of judicial supremacy. The Indian Constitution combines the British principle of parliamentary sovereignty with the American principle of judicial supremacy. The Supreme Court can declare parliamentary laws unconstitutional through its power of judicial review.
The Constitution of India is the supreme legal authority and the source of legal authority. It binds the legislative, executive, and judicial organs of government and empowers Parliament and the Legislatures of States and Union Territories to enact statutes.
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It establishes a parliamentary system
The Indian Constitution establishes a parliamentary system of government, based on the British model rather than the American Presidential System. This parliamentary system is underpinned by the principle of cooperation and coordination between the legislative and executive organs of the state. In contrast, the Presidential system is based on the doctrine of separation of powers between the two organs.
The Indian Constitution establishes this parliamentary system at the Centre and in the States. The role of the Prime Minister in this system is significant, and it is therefore called a 'Prime Ministerial Government'. The doctrine of the sovereignty of Parliament is associated with the British Parliament, while the principle of judicial supremacy is associated with the American Supreme Court. The Indian parliamentary system differs from the British system, and the scope of judicial review power of the Supreme Court in India is narrower than in the US. This is because the American Constitution provides for 'due process of law', while the Indian Constitution contains 'procedure established by law'.
The Indian Constitution establishes a federal system of government, with the usual features of a federation, such as two governments, division of powers, a written constitution, the supremacy of the constitution, the rigidity of the constitution, an independent judiciary, and bicameralism. However, the Indian Constitution also contains a large number of unitary or non-federal features, such as a strong Centre, a single Constitution, the appointment of a state governor by the Centre, all-India services, and emergency provisions that can modify the Constitution into a unitary one.
The Indian Constitution is structured into various Parts, each dealing with a specific aspect of the country's legal, administrative, or governmental framework. It is the lengthiest and most detailed written constitution in the world, with about 450 articles divided into 24 Parts and 12 Schedules. The Constitution was created by a Constituent Assembly, established in 1946, and not by the Parliament of India. It was adopted by its people with a declaration in its preamble. The final draft of the Constitution was introduced in the Constituent Assembly on 4 November 1948 and was passed by the Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution of India is the supreme law of the Republic of India. It is the lengthiest and most detailed written constitution in the world. It establishes a federal system of government and outlines the framework for the country's political system.
The Indian Constitution establishes a parliamentary system of government, with a synthesis of British parliamentary sovereignty and American judicial supremacy. It also contains a large number of unitary or non-federal features, such as a strong centre, a single constitution, and an integrated judiciary.
The Indian Constitution consists of a Preamble, about 450-470 articles divided into 24-25 Parts, and 12 Schedules. A "Part" refers to a division within the Constitution that groups together Articles on similar subjects.
The Indian Constitution is grounded in the values of democracy, justice, and equality, and secularism. It establishes India as a "Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic" and guarantees all citizens Fundamental Rights. It also sets out the aims and objectives for the state in the Directive Principles of State Policy.
The Indian Constitution has evolved through various amendments, with the most significant being the 42nd Amendment Act in 1976, which added the term "secular" to the Preamble. The Constitution has also been updated to include new provisions, such as the reduction of the voting age from 21 to 18 years and the addition of fundamental duties of citizens.











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