Omar Bennett
The Indian Constitution is the world's longest for a sovereign nation, with 145,000 words, and is second only to the Constitution of Alabama. It begins with the words: We, the people of India. These words indicate the ultimate sovereignty of the people of India. The first article of the Constitution declares that India is a Union of States.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First words | "We, the people of India" |
| Number of words | 145,000 |
| Number of articles | 470 |
| Number of parts | 25 |
| Number of schedules | 12 |
| Number of appendices | 5 |
| Number of amendments | 106 |
| Date of latest amendment | 28 September 2023 |
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What You'll Learn
- The Preamble to the Constitution of the Republic of India begins with the words: We, the people of India
- The first article of the Constitution declares that India is a Union of States
- The words socialist, secular and integrity were added to the Preamble in 1976
- The Indian Constitution is the world's longest for a sovereign nation
- The Constitution of India was initially drafted by Jawaharlal Nehru
The Preamble to the Constitution of the Republic of India begins with the words: We, the people of India
The Preamble to the Constitution of the Republic of India begins with the words: "We, the people of India". This indicates the ultimate sovereignty of the people of India. The Preamble is based on the Objectives Resolution, which was moved in the Constituent Assembly by Jawaharlal Nehru on 13 December 1946, accepted on 22 January 1947 and adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949. It came into force on 26 January 1950, which is celebrated as the Republic Day of India. The Constitution of India is the world's longest for a sovereign nation. At its enactment, it had 395 articles in 22 parts and 8 schedules. The amended constitution has a preamble and 470 articles, which are grouped into 25 parts. With 12 schedules and five appendices, it has been amended 106 times; the latest amendment was given assent on 28 September 2023. The first article of the Constitution declares that India is a "Union of States". Under the Constitution, the States retain key powers for themselves and have a strong influence over the national government via the Rajya Sabha. However, the Constitution does provide key limits on their powers and gives final say in many cases to the national government. At the Union level, the States are represented in the Rajya Sabha or Council of States. The Fourth Schedule of the Constitution lays out the number of seats that each State controls in the Council of States, and they are based roughly on each State's population.
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The first article of the Constitution declares that India is a Union of States
The first article of the Constitution of India declares that India is a "Union of States". The Constitution, which is the world's longest for a sovereign nation, is made up of 470 articles, which are grouped into 25 parts. The first article states that the States retain key powers for themselves and have a strong influence over the national government via the Rajya Sabha. However, the Constitution does provide key limits on their powers and gives final say in many cases to the national government. At the Union level, the States are represented in the Rajya Sabha or Council of States. The Fourth Schedule of the Constitution lays out the number of seats that each State controls in the Council of States, and they are based roughly on each State's population.
The Constitution of India begins with the words: "We, the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a sovereign socialist secular democratic republic". This preamble to the Constitution of the Republic of India was initially drafted by Jawaharlal Nehru and came into force on 26 January 1950, celebrated as the Republic Day of India. The words "socialist", "secular" and "integrity" were later added during the Indian emergency by Indira Gandhi. The preamble indicates the ultimate sovereignty of the people of India.
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The words socialist, secular and integrity were added to the Preamble in 1976
The Preamble to the Constitution of India begins with the words, "We, the people of India". These words indicate the ultimate sovereignty of the people of India. The words "socialist", "secular" and "integrity" were added to the Preamble in 1976 by the 42nd Amendment. The Constitution of India's preamble, as amended up to July 2024, reads as follows: "We, the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a sovereign socialist secular democratic republic and to secure to all its citizens: justice, social, economic and political; liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; equality of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all; fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation". The Preamble was initially drafted by Jawaharlal Nehru and came into force on 26 January 1950, celebrated as the Republic Day of India. The words "socialist", "secular" and "integrity" were added during the Indian Emergency by Indira Gandhi.
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The Indian Constitution is the world's longest for a sovereign nation
The Constitution of India has been amended 106 times, with the latest amendment given assent on 28 September 2023. The amended constitution has a preamble and 470 articles, which are grouped into 25 parts. With 12 schedules and five appendices, it has been amended 106 times. The constitution's articles are grouped into the following parts: Preamble, with the words "socialist", "secular" and "integrity" added in 1976 by the 42nd amendment; Part I – The Union and its Territory – Articles 1 to 4.
At its enactment, the Indian Constitution had 395 articles in 22 parts and 8 schedules. At about 145,000 words, it is the second-longest active constitution in the world, after the Constitution of Alabama. Now, the Constitution of India has 448 articles in 25 parts and 12 schedules.
The Preamble of the Indian Constitution begins with the words: "WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA". These words indicate the ultimate sovereignty of the people of India.
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The Constitution of India was initially drafted by Jawaharlal Nehru
The first words of the Constitution of India are: "We, the people of India". The Constitution was initially drafted by Jawaharlal Nehru, who was born on 14 November 1889 in Allahabad to a Kashmiri Pandit family. He was educated at elite institutions including Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge, and trained in law at Inner Temple, London. He returned to India in 1912 and enrolled as an advocate of the Allahabad High Court. He soon joined the Indian National Congress and rose through the party ranks.
Nehru played a key role in India's adoption of an independent foreign policy through its support and membership of the Non-Alignment Movement. He also led the Non-Cooperation Movement and the Kisan Movement in the United Provinces in 1920, participated in the protest against the Simon Commission in 1928, moved the Purna Swaraj Declaration in 1930, and led the Civil Disobedience Movement in the United Provinces in 1930. He participated in the Quit India Movement in 1942 and, on 13 December 1946, moved the Objectives Resolution in the Constituent Assembly. This resolution was accepted on 22 January 1947 and adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949, coming into force on 26 January 1950, celebrated as Republic Day in India.
The Constitution of India is the world's longest for a sovereign nation. At its enactment, it had 395 articles in 22 parts and 8 schedules. It has since been amended 106 times, with the latest amendment given assent on 28 September 2023. The first article of the Constitution declares that India is a "Union of States", with the States retaining key powers and having a strong influence over the national government via the Rajya Sabha.
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Frequently asked questions
The first words of the Constitution of India are "We the People".
These words signify that the Constitution is based on the sovereignty of the people and that the power of the government is derived from them.
There are 73 words in the Preamble to the Constitution of India.
The Preamble to the Constitution of India outlines the ideals that must guide Indian democracy. It provides the context in which the country can achieve the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
The second sentence of the Constitution of India is "There shall be a President".
