Eleanor Finch
The Indian Constitution, the supreme legal document of India and the longest written national constitution in the world, was first adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949 and came into effect on 26 January 1950. The Constituent Assembly was indirectly elected by the provincial legislatures and met for the first time in December 1946. The Constitution was signed and accepted on 24 January 1950, marking the last meeting of the Constituent Assembly.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of adoption | 26 November 1949 |
| Date of enforcement | 26 January 1950 |
| Date of last meeting of Constituent Assembly | 24 January 1950 |
| Number of Articles | 395 |
| Number of Schedules | 8 |
| Number of Parts | 22 |
| Total expenditure | ₹6.4 million |
| Replaced | The Government of India Act 1935 |
| Type of government | Federal |
| Type of republic | Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic |
| Translation | Hindi |
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What You'll Learn
The Indian Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949
The process of adopting the Constitution took 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days, with a total expenditure of ₹6.4 million. The Constituent Assembly held its last meeting on 24 January 1950, and the Constitution was signed and accepted with 395 Articles, 8 Schedules, and 22 Parts. The Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950, marking the completion of the process of India's transition to a republic.
The Constitution provides for a parliamentary form of government, with a federal structure and some unitary features. The constitutional head of the Executive of the Union is the President, who is advised by a Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. 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).
The Hindi translation of the Indian Constitution is notable for being the first translation into an Indian language. This task was undertaken by the distinguished linguist, scholar, politician, and member of the Constituent Assembly, Raghu Vira.
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It came into force on 26 January 1950
The Indian Constitution was first adopted on 26 November 1949 by the Constituent Assembly of India. It came into force on 26 January 1950, replacing the Government of India Act 1935 as the country's fundamental governing document. This was a significant moment in India's history, marking its transition from a dominion to a republic.
The process of drafting and finalising the constitution took 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days, and cost ₹6.4 million. The Constituent Assembly, which had been elected in 1946, met for the first time in December of that year. The Assembly included 278 representatives and 15 women, with the Congress Party holding the majority. The Assembly also included representatives from the Muslim League, the Scheduled Caste Federation, the Indian Communist Party, and the Union Party.
The Constituent Assembly's task was to create a supreme legal document to serve as the foundation of India's governance. The constitution lays out the fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, as well as the fundamental rights, directive principles, and duties of citizens. Notably, the constitution espouses constitutional supremacy, meaning that it is the supreme power of the nation and governs all laws.
The Indian Constitution is also notable for being the first translation among Indian languages. The task of translating the constitution from English into Hindi was undertaken by the distinguished linguist, scholar, and politician Raghu Vira, who was a member of the Constituent Assembly. Vira used Sanskrit as a common base, akin to the role of Latin in European languages, and developed several new terms for scientific and parliamentary use with a team.
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The Constituent Assembly approved the draft constitution
The Indian Constitution is the supreme legal document of India and is 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 Constituent Assembly of India approved the draft constitution on 26 November 1949, and it became effective on 26 January 1950. The constitution replaced the Government of India Act 1935 as the country's fundamental governing document, and the Dominion of India became the Republic of India. The Constituent Assembly was indirectly elected by the provincial legislatures, comprising 278 representatives and 15 women. The parties represented in the Constituent Assembly included the Congress Party (which had a majority), the Muslim League, the Scheduled Caste Federation, the Indian Communist Party, and the Union Party. The Constituent Assembly met for the first time in December 1946 and, by November 1949, the draft constitution was approved. The constitution was signed and accepted at the Constituent Assembly's last meeting on 24 January 1950, with 395 Articles, 8 Schedules, and 22 Parts.
The Constituent Assembly of India was formed in 1948, nearly two years after its initial formation, to draft the Indian Constitution. During this time, Rajendra Prasad entrusted distinguished linguist, scholar, politician, and member of the Constituent Assembly, Raghu Vira, and his team to translate the English text of the Constitution into Hindi. Vira applied the rules of sandhi (joining), samasa (compounding), upasarga (prefix), and pratyaya (suffix) to develop several new terms for scientific and parliamentary use. The Constituent Assembly of India was transformed into a Provisional Parliament once the Constitution went into effect in January 1950.
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The Constituent Assembly had 278 representatives and 15 women
The Indian Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949 by the Constituent Assembly of India. This assembly, formed in 1946, consisted of 278 representatives and 15 women, who were elected indirectly by the provincial legislatures. The Constituent Assembly was tasked with drafting the Indian Constitution, which was the fundamental legal document of the country.
The assembly was marked by a diverse range of parties, including the Congress Party, which held the majority, the Muslim League, the Scheduled Caste Federation, the Indian Communist Party, and the Union Party. Together, they worked to shape the constitution, which would define the rights, duties, and fundamental principles of the nation and its citizens.
The 15 women who were part of this assembly played a significant role in shaping the country's future. They contributed to the discussions, debates, and decisions that ultimately led to the creation of the constitution. Their presence and participation ensured that the voices of women were heard and that their perspectives were considered in the formation of India's governing document.
The Constituent Assembly's work extended beyond just the creation of the constitution. It also served as a platform for addressing issues related to independence and self-governance. With India's independence from British rule in 1947, the assembly took on the responsibility of shaping the country's future as a sovereign nation. The representatives and women within this assembly played a pivotal role in this transition, helping to establish the framework for a democratic and federal system of government.
The adoption of the constitution by the Constituent Assembly marked a significant milestone in India's history. It replaced the Government of India Act 1935 as the country's fundamental governing document. The process of drafting and adopting the constitution took nearly three years and was a collaborative effort involving key figures such as B. R. Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Rajendra Prasad, who entrusted Raghu Vira with the important task of translating the constitution into Hindi.
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The Constitution was signed and accepted with 395 Articles, 8 Schedules, and 22 Parts
The Indian Constitution, the supreme legal document of India, was signed and accepted on 24 January 1950 with 395 Articles, 8 Schedules, and 22 Parts. It is the world's lengthiest written constitution for a sovereign nation. The original 1950 constitution is preserved in a nitrogen-filled case at the Parliament Library Building in New Delhi.
The Constituent Assembly, with over 30 representatives of the scheduled classes, was responsible for the constitution's structure. The process of drafting the constitution took 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days, with a total expenditure of ₹6.4 million. The Constituent Assembly's constitutional advisor, Sir B. N. Rau, a distinguished Indian civil servant, prepared the initial draft in February 1948. Rau's draft consisted of 243 articles and 13 schedules, which were debated and amended by the seven-member drafting committee chaired by B. R. Ambedkar. The revised draft was submitted to the assembly on 4 November 1947. The assembly held eleven sessions in 165 days before adopting the constitution on 26 November 1949, with 284 members signing the document.
The constitution replaced the Government of India Act 1935 as the country's fundamental governing document. It 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 constitution declares India a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic, guaranteeing its citizens justice, equality, and liberty.
The Indian Constitution is notable for adopting judicial review from the United States Constitution. Article 13 of the Indian Constitution governs judicial review, stating that pre-constitutional laws conflicting with the constitution are deemed ineffective until amended. Additionally, laws enacted after the adoption of the constitution must be compatible with it or risk being deemed void. The Supreme Court plays a crucial role in interpreting and safeguarding the constitution, as seen in the Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala case, where the court upheld the 'Basic Structure' Doctrine, protecting integral features of the constitution from amendment.
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Frequently asked questions
The Indian Constitution was first adopted on 26 November 1949 and came into force on 26 January 1950.
G. V. Mavlankar was the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha (the lower house of Parliament) after India turned into a republic.
The Hindi translation of the Indian Constitution was undertaken by Raghu Vira, a distinguished linguist, scholar, politician, and member of the Constituent Assembly.
