Omar Bennett
The Constitution of India is the country's fundamental governing document, declaring India a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic. It is the world's longest written national constitution for a sovereign nation, with 145,000 words across 448 articles. The Constitution was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on 26 November 1949 and came into force on 26 January 1950, replacing the Indian Independence Act of 1947 and the Government of India Act of 1935. The Constituent Assembly, established in 1946 and led by Dr Rajendra Prasad, appointed a drafting committee chaired by Dr B.R. Ambedkar to create a permanent constitution. The original intent of the Indian Constitution was to establish a framework for the country's governance, ensuring citizens' rights and responsibilities, and outlining the powers and duties of government institutions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Length | 145,000 words |
| Number of Articles | 448 |
| Number of Schedules | 12 |
| Amendments | More than 100 |
| Sovereign | Yes |
| Socialist | Yes |
| Secular | Yes |
| Democratic Republic | Yes |
| Parliamentary System | Yes |
| Federal Structure | Yes |
| Constitutional Head of the Executive of the Union | President |
| Council of Parliament of the Union | President and two Houses: the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and the House of the People (Lok Sabha) |
| Council of Ministers | Yes, with the Prime Minister as its head |
| Citizenship | Defined in Articles 5 and 8 |
| Prohibition of Child Labour | Yes, defined in Article 24 |
| Waiver of Rights | Defined in Part 3 of the Constitution |
| Doctrine of Separability | Defined in Articles 13 (1) and 13 (2) |
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What You'll Learn
- The constitution declares India a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic
- The constitution assures citizens justice, equality, liberty, and fraternity
- The constitution provides a framework for the fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions
- The constitution outlines the rights and duties of citizens
- The constitution establishes India's parliamentary system of government
The constitution declares India a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic
The Indian Constitution is the supreme legal document of India and the world's longest written national constitution for a sovereign nation. It lays down the framework for the fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens. The Constitution declares India a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic, assuring its citizens justice, equality, and liberty, and it endeavours to promote fraternity.
The term "sovereign" signifies India's departure from the status of dominion in the British Commonwealth as set up by the Indian Independence Act, 1947, to a free nation when the Constitution of India came into effect on 26 January 1950. Sovereignty denotes supreme and ultimate power, which can be real or nominal, legal or political, individual or pluralistic. External sovereignty refers to the independence of a state in its conduct with other states, while internal sovereignty refers to the relationship between the state and individuals within its territory.
The term "socialist" is not defined in the Constitution, but the Directive Principles of State Policy in Part IV have a socialist character. This embodies the philosophy that the welfare of the larger society shall precede individual interests. Essentially, it means that wealth should be shared equally by society through distributive justice, not concentrated in the hands of a few, and that the government should regulate the ownership of land and industry to reduce socio-economic inequalities.
The term "secular" implies that India is not a theocratic state and does not have an official religion. Secularism, as adopted by India, means equal freedom and respect for all religions. The relationship between the government and religious groups is determined by the Constitution and law.
The term "democratic" refers to the system of universal adult franchise, popularly known as "one person, one vote" in India. Every citizen of India who is 18 years of age or older and not otherwise legally debarred is entitled to vote. The Indian Constitution also includes provisions such as the prohibition of child labour, with Article 24 prohibiting the employment of children below the age of 14 in any factory, mine, or hazardous occupation.
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The constitution assures citizens justice, equality, liberty, and fraternity
The Indian Constitution is the supreme legal document of India and the world's longest written national constitution. It lays down the framework that demarcates fundamental political codes, structures, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens. The constitution declares India a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic, assuring its citizens justice, equality, and liberty, and promoting fraternity.
The preamble of the Indian Constitution assures citizens liberty of thought and action, which is a fundamental value embedded in the constitution. This liberty of thought and action is to be exercised responsibly and not to belittle or diminish the beliefs and status of others. This is what constitutes a decent society. In a diverse country like India, the exercise of freedom with responsibility is crucial for maintaining peace within the nation.
The constitution also assures citizens equality of status and opportunity. Equality is another value enshrined in the constitution, and it implies freedom from exploitation and the assurance of opportunities for an individual's development, irrespective of background, gender, cultural or socio-economic identity, and status. All citizens are equal in law, and there is no privileged class. Every citizen has the right to try for any public office irrespective of caste, race, sex, or religion. The practice of untouchability has been abolished by the constitution, and discrimination on the basis of religion is forbidden.
The constitution further assures citizens justice. Justice ensures that the freedom of one does not become tyranny for another. Meaningful justice requires the sharing of power, compassion towards the underprivileged, and empathy towards the disadvantaged. Education on rights and duties is essential to ensure a fight for justice. The constitution also includes provisions to protect the rights and welfare of children, prohibiting their employment in certain hazardous occupations or processes.
Finally, the constitution promotes fraternity and unity in the country, which can only be built on a secular basis. The term secular is not defined in the constitution, but its operative meaning may be derived from the different provisions of the constitution. Fraternity goes beyond national boundaries, speaking of the ideal of universal brotherhood and an international fraternity with all nations and peoples coexisting in peace and harmony.
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The constitution provides a framework for the fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions
The Constitution of India is the country's supreme legal document and the world's lengthiest written national constitution. It lays out the fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, as well as the rights and responsibilities of citizens. The constitution is structured into various parts, each dealing with a specific aspect of the country's legal, administrative, or governmental framework.
The constitution declares India a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic, guaranteeing its citizens justice, equality, and liberty, and promoting fraternity. It establishes a parliamentary system of government with a federal structure and certain unitary features. The constitutional head of the executive branch is the President, who is advised by a Council of Ministers led by the Prime Minister. The parliament itself consists of two houses: the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and the House of the People (Lok Sabha).
The constitution-making process was organised around the deliberations of the Constituent Assembly, which first sat in December 1946. The Constituent Assembly had 11 sessions and sat for a total of 167 days over a period of two years and 11 months, completing its task of framing the constitution in 1949. The final draft of the Constitution was introduced to the Constituent Assembly in November 1948, and it was passed on 26 November 1949. The constitution came into force on 26 January 1950, becoming the law of India.
The Indian Constitution has been amended over 100 times since its enactment and currently contains 448 articles in 25 parts and 12 schedules. The constitution's length is due in part to the need to accommodate the country's vast diversity, as well as the presence of legal experts in the Constituent Assembly. It is a reflection of the nation's collective journey toward democracy, justice, and equality.
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The constitution outlines the rights and duties of citizens
The Constitution of India is the country's supreme legal document and the world's lengthiest written national constitution. It outlines the rights and duties of citizens and serves as the fundamental law of the land, embodying the values, principles, and governance framework of the country. It is a comprehensive and detailed document that reflects India's journey towards democracy, justice, and equality.
The Constitution of India was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949, and came into force on January 26, 1950. The Constituent Assembly, established in 1946, was led by Dr Rajendra Prasad and included legal experts and luminaries. The drafting committee, chaired by Dr B.R. Ambedkar, took nearly two years to prepare the draft constitution, which was then deliberated and modified before being passed by the assembly.
The Indian Constitution is structured into various parts, each dealing with a specific aspect of the country's legal, administrative, or governmental framework. It includes articles, which are specific provisions or clauses, and schedules, which provide additional information or guidelines. The constitution has had over 100 amendments since its enactment, and new articles are inserted alphanumerically to preserve the original numbering.
The Constitution of India declares the country a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic, assuring citizens justice, equality, and liberty. It provides for a parliamentary form of government with a federal structure and certain unitary features. The constitutional head of the executive is the President, who is advised by a Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.
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The constitution establishes India's parliamentary system of government
The Constitution of India is the supreme legal document and the fundamental law of the land. It establishes India's parliamentary system of government, declaring the country a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic. The Constitution provides for a parliamentary form of government that is federal in structure with certain unitary features.
The Constituent Assembly, established in 1946 with Dr Rajendra Prasad as its president, was responsible for framing the Constitution. The process began with the appointment of a Drafting Committee under the chairmanship of Dr B.R. Ambedkar on 29 August 1947. The committee took nearly two years to prepare the draft constitution, which was introduced to the Constituent Assembly on 4 November 1948. The final session of the assembly was convened on 24 January 1950, and each member signed two copies of the constitution, one in Hindi and the other in English. The original, hand-written constitution is preserved in a nitrogen-filled case at the Parliament Library Building in New Delhi.
The Constitution of India is structured into various parts, each dealing with a specific aspect of the country's legal, administrative, or governmental framework. It lays down the fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and sets out the fundamental rights, directive principles, and duties of citizens. It ensures constitutional supremacy, as it was created by a constituent assembly rather than Parliament, and it guides the state's functioning, ensuring citizens' rights and responsibilities.
The Constitution provides for a parliamentary system of government with the President as the constitutional head of the Executive of the Union. The council of the Parliament of the Union consists of the President and two Houses: the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and the House of the People (Lok Sabha). There is also a Council of Ministers with the Prime Minister as its head, who aids and advises the President and exercises functions in accordance with the advice of the Council.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution of India is the supreme legal document of India and the longest written national constitution in the world. It 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.
The original intent of the Indian Constitution was to declare India a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic, assuring its citizens justice, equality, and liberty, and to promote fraternity.
The Indian Constitution was written between 1946 and 1949 and came into force on 26 January 1950.
