Isabella Carter
India formally adopted a democratic constitution, the longest written national constitution in the world, on 26 November 1949, and it came into force on 26 January 1950. The constitution declares India to be a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic, and it establishes the framework that defines the fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions. It also sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of adoption | 26 November 1949 |
| Date it became the law of India | 26 January 1950 |
| Number of members who signed the constitution | 284 |
| Number of copies signed | 2 (one in Hindi and the other in English) |
| Number of articles in the initial draft | 243 |
| Number of schedules in the initial draft | 13 |
| Number of articles after discussions, debates and amendments | 395 |
| Number of schedules after discussions, debates and amendments | 8 |
| Number of members in the drafting committee | 7 |
| Number of legislative seats reserved for women by the 106th Amendment in 2023 | 33% |
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What You'll Learn
India's democratic constitution was signed on 26 November 1949
The Constituent Assembly of India, which was tasked with creating the constitution, first met on 9 December 1946. The assembly's constitutional advisor, Sir B. N. Rau, prepared the initial draft in February 1948. This draft consisted of 243 articles and 13 schedules, which, after discussions, debates, and amendments, became 395 articles and 8 schedules. The draft constitution was then submitted to the assembly on 4 November 1947. Before its adoption, the assembly held eleven sessions in 165 days.
The constitution was signed by 284 members, each of whom signed two copies—one in Hindi and the other in English. The original constitution is handwritten, with each page decorated by artists from Shantiniketan, including Beohar Rammanohar Sinha and Nandalal Bose. The calligrapher was Prem Behari Narain Raizada. The constitution was published in Dehradun and photolithographed by the Survey of India. It took nearly five years to produce the original constitution.
The constitution of India is based on the Government of India Act 1935, the last constitution of British India, and also reflects elements of the constitutions of the United States and Ireland, as well as British Common Law. It establishes a bicameral legislature, an independent judiciary, and a federated state with significant powers located at the National Centre. India is considered by some to have the world's largest democracy, with universal adult franchise granting all citizens equal voting rights.
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It came into force on 26 January 1950
The Indian Constitution, the supreme legal document of the country, came into force on 26 January 1950. It is the longest written national constitution in the world. The Constituent Assembly adopted the constitution on 26 November 1949, which was signed by 284 members. The day is celebrated as National Law Day or Constitution Day. The Constituent Assembly held eleven sessions in 165 days before adopting the constitution.
The constitution declares India to be a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic. It establishes the framework that defines the fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions. It also sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens. 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, who is elected to a five-year term. The President is a formal component of the legislature, which also includes the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (House of the People). The constitution also provides for a Council of Ministers with the Prime Minister as its head, who aids and advises the President.
The Indian Constitution was drafted by a seven-member drafting committee, appointed on 29 August 1947, with B.R. Ambedkar as its chair. The committee prepared a revised draft constitution, which was submitted to the assembly on 4 November 1947. The initial draft was prepared by Sir B.N. Rau, the assembly's constitutional advisor, in February 1948. The constitution was based on the Government of India Act 1935, the last constitution of British India, and also drew from the American Constitution, the Irish Constitution, and British Common Law.
The constitution of India is notable for its adoption of judicial review from the United States Constitution. Judicial review is dealt with in Article 13 of the Indian Constitution, which provides that all laws must be compatible with the constitution and that conflicting provisions in pre-constitutional laws are deemed ineffective until amended to conform with the constitution. The Supreme Court of India has also played a role in interpreting the constitution, holding that certain features are so integral that they cannot be amended or removed.
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The constitution was influenced by the US, Irish and British constitutions
The Indian constitution, the supreme legal document of India, was adopted on 26 November 1949 and became effective on 26 January 1950. It is the longest written national constitution in the world. The constitution was influenced by various factors, including the US, Irish, and British constitutions, as well as previous Indian legislation.
The influence of the US Constitution can be seen in the concept of judicial review, which is a key feature of the Indian constitution. Article 13 of the Indian constitution outlines how conflicting laws are addressed and how judicial review is conducted by the Supreme Court or a high court. This is similar to the judicial review process in the US Constitution.
The Indian constitution also drew inspiration from the Irish Constitution. India and Ireland shared a common history as former possessions of the British Empire, and their nationalist movements were linked by a shared struggle against British rule. The leader of the Irish nationalist movement, Éamon de Valera, had a strong connection with India, and figures like Annie Besant, who had an Irish background, played a crucial role in fostering Indo-Irish relations and advocating for Indian self-rule.
Additionally, the Indian constitution was influenced by the British system due to the colonial influence on India. The system of an executive with nominal power and an "advisor" with actual power is a result of this influence. This dynamic is reflected in the role of the President of India, who has the power to seek reconsideration of advice from the council but is constitutionally required to adhere to it if no changes are made.
The constitution was also shaped by previous Indian legislation, including the Government of India Act 1858, the Indian Councils Acts of 1861, 1892, and 1909, the Government of India Acts 1919 and 1935, and the Indian Independence Act 1947. These acts provided a foundation for the constitution, addressing the governance and political structure of India during the colonial period.
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It is the world's longest written constitution
India, the biggest democracy in the world, has the largest and longest written constitution of any sovereign nation. The Constitution of India, which came into effect on 26 January 1950, is the country's supreme legal document and lays down the framework for the fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers and duties of government institutions. It also sets out the fundamental rights, directive principles and duties of citizens.
The original text of the Constitution contained 395 articles in 22 parts and eight schedules. The number of articles has since increased to 448 due to more than 100 amendments. The constitution is so specific in spelling out government powers that many amendments address issues dealt with by statute in other democracies.
The constitution was composed between 1947 and 1950. It was drafted by the 389-member Constituent Assembly, which was elected by members of the provincial assemblies. The Constituent Assembly took almost three years to draft the constitution, holding eleven sessions over a 165-day period. The assembly's final session convened on 24 January 1950. Each member signed two copies of the constitution, one in Hindi and the other in English. The original constitution is hand-written, with each page decorated by artists from Shantiniketan, including Beohar Rammanohar Sinha and Nandalal Bose. Its calligrapher was Prem Behari Narain Raizada.
The constitution was published in Dehradun and photolithographed by the Survey of India. Production of the original constitution took nearly five years. Two days after the assembly's final session, on 26 January 1950, it became the law of India. The constitution has been amended more than 100 times since it was enacted. It is the world's most frequently amended national governing document.
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It declares India a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic
India, also known as Bharat, is a Union of States. On 26 November 1949, the Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution of India, which came into force on 26 January 1950. The Constitution declares India a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic.
The constitution is the supreme legal document of India and is the longest written national constitution in the world. It lays down the framework for the fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions. It also sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens.
The term "sovereign" refers to the independent authority of a state. It has two aspects: external and internal. External sovereignty means the independence of a state from the will of other states in its conduct with those states in the committee of nations. Internal sovereignty refers to the relationship between the state and the individuals within its territory and is divided into four organs: the executive, the legislature, the judiciary, and the administrative.
The term "socialist" in the context of the Indian Constitution refers to social democracy, which means achieving socialist goals through democratic, evolutionary, and non-violent means. It implies that wealth, as it is generated socially, should be shared equally by society through distributive justice rather than being concentrated in the hands of a few. It also means that the government should regulate the ownership of land and industry to reduce socio-economic inequalities.
The adoption of secularism in the Indian Constitution means that the relationship between the government and religious groups is determined by the constitution and law, with equal freedom and respect for all religions.
Finally, the term "democratic republic" refers to the representative form of government in India, where the people elect their governments by a system of universal adult franchise, popularly known as "one person, one vote". Every citizen of India who is 18 years or older and not otherwise legally barred is entitled to vote. The constitution provides for a parliamentary form of government with a federal structure and certain unitary features. The constitutional head of the Executive of the Union is the President, who is advised by a Council of Ministers with the Prime Minister as its head.
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Frequently asked questions
India adopted a democratic constitution on 26 November 1949, which came into force on 26 January 1950.
The day India adopted its constitution is celebrated every year on 26 January as Republic Day. The day was chosen to spread the importance of the constitution and to spread the thoughts and ideas of Ambedkar.
The Indian constitution is the supreme legal document of the country and the longest written national constitution in the world. It establishes the framework that defines the fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions.
