Omar Bennett
The Constitution of India is the supreme law of the Republic of India. It is the world's longest written constitution for a sovereign nation, containing around 145,000 words. The Constitution was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on 26 November 1949 and came into effect on 26 January 1950, replacing the Indian Independence Act 1947 and the Government of India Act 1935. It declares India a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic, assuring its citizens justice, equality, and liberty. The Constitution has had more than 100 amendments since it was enacted and contains 448 articles in 25 parts and 12 schedules.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Length | The longest written national constitution in the world |
| Drafting | Drafted by the 389-member Constituent Assembly, elected by elected members of the provincial assemblies |
| Time Taken | 165-166 days, spread over 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days |
| Date of Adoption | 26th November 1949 |
| Date of Enactment | 26th January 1950 |
| Nature of Republic | Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic |
| System of Government | Parliamentary |
| Constitutional Head of the Executive of the Union | President |
| Council of Parliament of the Union | Consists of the President, the Council of States (Rajya Sabha), and the House of the People (Lok Sabha) |
| Council of Ministers | Headed by the Prime Minister, who exercises executive power |
| Unitary Features | Single constitution, single citizenship, an integrated judiciary, a flexible constitution, a strong central government, appointment of state governors by the central government, All India Services (IAS, IFS, and IPS), and emergency provisions |
| Nature | Blend of rigidity and flexibility |
| Sources | Borrowed from the Government of India Act of 1935 and the constitutions of various other countries |
| Amendments | 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019 |
| Fundamental Rights | Freedom of speech and expression, prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth, and more |
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What You'll Learn
- The Constitution of India is the supreme legal document of India and the longest written national constitution in the world
- The Constitution of India was first translated from English into the Bengali language and published in 1983
- The Constitution of India declares that India is a 'Union of States' and a secular state
- The Constitution of India became effective on 26 January 1950, making India a sovereign, democratic republic
- The Constitution of India lays down the framework for the country's political system, fundamental rights, and principles of governance
The Constitution of India is the supreme legal document of India and the longest written national constitution in the world
The Constitution of India is a result of colonial influences on the country before and during its writing. It was first drafted in English and has since been translated into various regional languages, including Bengali and Meitei (Manipuri). The translation project was a collaborative effort between the respective state governments and the Union Government of India. The Constitution of India contains 395 articles in 22 parts, with additional articles and parts inserted through amendments. It lays down the framework for the country's political system, demarcating the fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and setting out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens.
The Constitution of India is secular, mandating that the state treat all religions equally and refrain from favouring or discriminating against any particular religion. It also adopts universal adult franchise as the basis of elections to the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assemblies, granting every citizen above the age of 18 the right to vote without discrimination based on caste, race, religion, sex, literacy, or wealth. The Constitution provides for a strong central government, with the President as the constitutional head of the Executive of the Union. However, the President's role is mostly ceremonial, with executive power exercised by the Prime Minister, who heads the Council of Ministers.
The Constitution of India is a blend of rigidity and flexibility. While it does not contain a provision to limit the powers of the parliament to amend it, the Supreme Court has held that certain features of the Constitution are integral and cannot be amended. The Constitution of India is a living document that has evolved over time through various amendments, reflecting the country's diverse and dynamic nature. It serves as the supreme law of the land, providing a framework for the functioning of the government, safeguarding individual liberties, and maintaining social order.
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The Constitution of India was first translated from English into the Bengali language and published in 1983
The Constitution of India is the supreme legal document and the lengthiest written constitution of India, with about 145,000 words. It is a very comprehensive and detailed document that lays down the framework for the country's political system, defining the powers and responsibilities of government institutions, fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens. It also safeguards the rights of its citizens and outlines the principles of governance. The Constitution of India was enacted on 26 January 1950, making India a sovereign republic.
The Constitution of India has been translated into various Indian languages. The Hindi translation of the Indian Constitution was the first translation among Indian languages. Raghu Vira, a linguist, scholar, politician, and member of the Constituent Assembly, led a team that translated the English text of the Constitution into Hindi in 1948. The translation process involved applying the rules of sandhi (joining), samasa (compounding), upasarga (prefix), and pratyaya (suffix) to create new terms for scientific and parliamentary use.
The Constitution of India was also first translated from English into the Odia language and published on 1 April 1981 in Bhubaneswar, through the collective efforts of the Government of Odisha and the Union Government of India. Additionally, it was translated into Sanskrit and published on 1 April 1985 in New Delhi. The fourth edition of the Constitution in the Tamil language was published in 2021 in Chennai, containing up to the One Hundred and Fifth Amendment of the Constitution.
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The Constitution of India declares that India is a 'Union of States' and a secular state
The Constitution of India is the supreme legal document of India and is the longest written national constitution in the world. It came into effect on 26 January 1950, and with it, India became a sovereign, democratic republic. The constitution was drafted by the Constituent Assembly, which was elected by members of the provincial assemblies. The Constituent Assembly adopted the constitution on 26 November 1949.
The Constitution of India declares that India is a Union of States and a secular state. India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, for a total of 36 entities. The Draft Article 1 (Article 1 of the Constitution of India 1950) was debated on 15 and 17 November 1948, and 17 and 18 September 1949. The Draft Article declared India as a 'Union of States' and defined India's territory. Most members were confused as to why India was described as a 'Union of States', instead of a 'Federation' which seemed more appropriate. The Drafting Committee Chairman explained that the term ''Union of States' was used to ensure and clarify that states did not have the right to secede from India.
The Constitution provides for a Parliamentary form of government which is federal in structure with certain unitary features. The constitutional head of the Executive of the Union is the President. The President's role is mostly ceremonial, with the Prime Minister exercising executive power. The President does retain the power to ask the council to reconsider its advice. The council is not required to make any changes before resubmitting the advice to the President, who is then constitutionally required to adhere to it, overriding their discretion.
The constitution lays down the framework that demarcates the fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens. It espouses constitutional supremacy and was adopted with a declaration in its preamble.
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The Constitution of India became effective on 26 January 1950, making India a sovereign, democratic republic
The Constitution of India is the supreme legal document and the lengthiest written constitution in the world. It is a very comprehensive and detailed document that lays down the framework for the country's political system, defining the powers and responsibilities of government institutions, safeguarding fundamental rights, and outlining the principles of governance. It is a set of rules and regulations that guide the administration of the country. The Constitution of India became effective on 26 January 1950, making India a sovereign, democratic republic.
The process of drafting the constitution began in 1947 with the appointment of a Drafting Committee under the chairmanship of Dr B.R. Ambedkar. The committee took 166 days, spread over two years, 11 months, and 18 days, to prepare the draft constitution. The final draft was introduced to the Constituent Assembly on 4 November 1948 and, after deliberations and modifications, was passed on 26 November 1949. This date, known as the "
The Constitution of India is a unique blend of rigidity and flexibility. It is classified as a rigid constitution, requiring a special procedure for its amendment, but it also possesses flexible features, allowing it to be amended in the same manner as ordinary laws are made. This flexibility is due in part to the absence of a provision to limit the powers of the parliament to amend the constitution. However, the Supreme Court has held that certain features of the constitution are integral and cannot be amended.
The Constitution of India provides for a parliamentary form of government with a federal structure and certain unitary features. It establishes a secular state, mandating equal treatment and refraining from favouring or discriminating against any particular religion. It also adopts universal adult franchise, granting all citizens above the age of 18 the right to vote without discrimination based on caste, race, religion, sex, literacy, or wealth. Additionally, it establishes single citizenship, ensuring that all citizens enjoy the same political and civil rights across the country, regardless of their state of birth or residence.
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The Constitution of India lays down the framework for the country's political system, fundamental rights, and principles of governance
The Constitution of India is the supreme legal document of India and the lengthiest written national constitution in the world. It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949 and came into force on 26 January 1950, making India a sovereign, democratic republic. The constitution repealed the Indian Independence Act 1947 and the Government of India Act 1935, which had been in place under British rule.
The constitution safeguards fundamental rights, including the right to vote for every citizen over the age of 18, without discrimination based on caste, race, religion, sex, literacy, or wealth. It also guarantees liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith, and worship, as well as equality of status and opportunity. The constitution does not uphold any particular religion, instead mandating that the state treat all religions equally.
The constitution also sets out principles of governance, including the role of the President as the constitutional head of the Executive of the Union and the Prime Minister as the head of the Council of Ministers, who advises the President. The constitution outlines the powers of the President, such as the ability to dismiss a state government and assume direct authority if the state government cannot be conducted according to the constitution. It also establishes the Parliament of the Union, consisting of the President and two Houses: the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and the House of the People (Lok Sabha).
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution of India came into force on 26 January 1950.
Dr B.R. Ambedkar is known as the "Father of the Indian Constitution".
Article 21 of the Indian Constitution guarantees the Right to Life and Personal Liberty.
