Omar Bennett
The Constitution of India is the supreme legal document of India and is the world's longest written national constitution for a sovereign nation. It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on 26 November 1949 and came into effect on 26 January 1950. The principal architect of the Indian Constitution was Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, who served as India's first Law and Justice Minister.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Length | 145,000 words, making it the second-longest active constitution in the world |
| Language | One copy in Hindi and one in English |
| Legal status | The supreme legal document of India |
| Amendments | Over 100 amendments since its enactment |
| Original format | Hand-written, with each page decorated by artists from Shantiniketan |
| Calligrapher | Prem Behari Narain Raizada |
| Number of articles | 395 |
| Number of parts | 22 |
| Number of schedules | 8 |
| Time taken to draft | 2 years, 11 months, and 17 days |
| Date adopted | 26 November 1949 |
| Date effective | 26 January 1950 |
| Replaced | The Indian Independence Act 1947 and the Government of India Act 1935 |
| Key figures involved | Dr B. R. Ambedkar, S. N. Mukherjee, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, and Louis Mountbatten |
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What You'll Learn
- Dr BR Ambedkar: India's first Law Minister and principal architect of the constitution
- Constituent Assembly of India: adopted the constitution on 26 November 1949
- Sources of inspiration: drew from 60 constitutions worldwide
- Fundamental rights: guaranteed freedom of speech, equality and justice for all citizens
- Amendments: the constitution has had over 100 amendments since 1950
Dr BR Ambedkar: India's first Law Minister and principal architect of the constitution
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, more commonly known as Dr B.R. Ambedkar, was a man of many talents and professions. He was an Indian jurist, economist, social reformer, and political leader. He is best known for being the chairman of the committee that drafted the Constitution of India and for serving as India's first Law and Justice Minister in the first cabinet of Jawaharlal Nehru.
Ambedkar was born on 14 April 1891 in MHOW, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, and passed the Matriculation examination from Bombay University in 1907. He graduated in Political Science and Economics from Bombay University in 1913 and later pursued further studies at Columbia University and the London School of Economics, receiving doctorates from both institutions. He also trained in law at Gray's Inn, London.
Upon India's independence in 1947, Ambedkar was appointed as the first Law Minister of independent India by Jawaharlal Nehru, the new prime minister. On 29 August 1947, the Constituent Assembly formed a drafting committee under Ambedkar's chairmanship to draft the Constitution of India. Ambedkar introduced the Draft Constitution to the Assembly on 4 November 1948, and it was adopted on 26 November 1949, becoming effective on 26 January 1950. The Constitution of India is the supreme legal document of India and is the longest written national constitution in the world. It lays down the fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and sets out the fundamental rights and duties of citizens.
Ambedkar's legacy as a socio-political reformer had a profound impact on modern India. He passionately believed in individual freedom and criticised the caste system in Hinduism, making him controversial and unpopular among Hindus. He is known for his initiatives that have influenced various aspects of Indian life, including socio-economic policies, education, and affirmative action. He founded the 'Bahishkrit Hitakarani Sabha' (Outcastes Welfare Association) in 1923 to spread education, culture, and economic improvement among the downtrodden and raise their problems in the proper forums. He also led a historic protest in 1927, where a large group of Dalits drank water from a public tank, breaking centuries-old repressive social norms.
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Constituent Assembly of India: adopted the constitution on 26 November 1949
The Constitution of India is the supreme legal document of India and is 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 citizens' fundamental rights and duties.
The Constituent Assembly of India adopted the constitution on 26 November 1949, and it came into effect on 26 January 1950. The assembly was formed under the chairmanship of Dr B R Ambedkar on 29 August 1947, and S. N Mukherjee was the chief draftsman. The constitution was drafted over a period of two years, with the final draft being presented to the Constituent Assembly on 4 November 1948. The debate on the draft constitution went on for over a year before it was adopted.
The constitution replaced the Government of India Act 1935 and the Indian Independence Act 1947 as the country's fundamental governing document. It declared India a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic, assuring its citizens justice, equality, and liberty. It also provided for a parliamentary form of government with a federal structure and certain unitary features.
The original 1950 constitution is preserved in a nitrogen-filled case at the Parliament Library Building in New Delhi. Each member of the Constituent Assembly signed two copies of the constitution, one in Hindi and the other in English. The original is hand-written, with each page decorated by artists from Shantiniketan, including Beohar Rammanohar Sinha and Nandalal Bose. The calligrapher was Prem Behari Narain Raizada, commissioned by Nehru.
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Sources of inspiration: drew from 60 constitutions worldwide
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 fundamental political codes, structures, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens.
The Constituent Assembly of India, which sat for the first time on 9 December 1946, was responsible for drafting the Constitution. The 389-member assembly (reduced to 299 after the partition of India) took almost three years to draft the constitution, holding eleven sessions over a 165-day period. The drafting committee was formed under the chairmanship of Dr B. R. Ambedkar by the Constituent Assembly on 29 August 1947, and S. N. Mukherjee was the chief draftsman.
The Constitution of India was influenced by a variety of sources, including previous legislation such as the Government of India Acts of 1858, 1919, and 1935, the Indian Councils Acts of 1861, 1892, and 1909, and the Indian Independence Act of 1947. The framers of the Constitution also drew inspiration from a range of other constitutions worldwide, including those of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, the Soviet Union, Australia, and Ireland. The Constitution of the United States, with its emphasis on federalism and a strong central government, had a particularly strong influence on the Indian Constitution.
The Constituent Assembly of India was mindful of the country's needs and conditions and borrowed features from these previous legislations and constitutions to shape India's constitution. The Constitution-making process was organised around the deliberations of the Constituent Assembly, which was elected by the elected members of the provincial assemblies. The Assembly had sovereign power to draft and enact a new constitution for the separate states.
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Fundamental rights: guaranteed freedom of speech, equality and justice for all citizens
The Constitution of India is the supreme legal document of India and is the longest written national constitution in the world. It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on 26 November 1949 and became effective on 26 January 1950, replacing the Indian Independence Act 1947 and the Government of India Act 1935. The original 1950 constitution is preserved in a nitrogen-filled case at the Parliament Library Building in New Delhi.
The Constitution of India guarantees fundamental rights to all citizens, including freedom of speech, equality, and justice. These rights are enshrined in Part III (Article 12–35) of the Constitution and offer all citizens, individually and collectively, basic freedoms. These include the right to equality, freedom of speech and expression, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, and freedom of movement.
Freedom of speech and expression is guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, which grants citizens the right to freely express their thoughts, opinions, and ideas. This right is not absolute and is subject to certain restrictions, such as those imposed in the interests of the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign countries, public order, decency, or morality. The Constitution (First Amendment) Act, 1951, made several changes to the Fundamental Rights Part of the Indian constitution, amending Article 19(1)(a) to counteract the "abuse of freedom of speech and expression."
The right to equality is guaranteed under Article 12–35 of the Constitution and includes equality before the law, prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth, and equality of opportunity in matters of employment. This right is also not absolute and is subject to certain exceptions, such as in matters of public employment, where it does not apply to overseas citizens of India.
The right to freedom of religion is covered in Articles 25–28 and provides religious freedom to all citizens, ensuring a secular state in India. According to the Constitution, there is no official state religion, and the state is required to treat all religions equally and impartially. Article 25 guarantees all persons the freedom of conscience and the right to preach, practice, and propagate any religion of their choice, subject to public order, morality, and health.
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Amendments: the constitution has had over 100 amendments since 1950
The Constitution of India is the supreme legal document of India and the world's longest written national constitution. 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 was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on 26 November 1949 and became effective on 26 January 1950. India celebrates its constitution on 26 January as Republic Day.
The constitution has had over 100 amendments since it was enacted in 1950. As of February 2025, there have been 106 amendments, making it the most amended national constitution in the world. The large number of amendments can be attributed to the fact that the Constitution spells out governmental powers in great detail. As a result, many matters that would be addressed by statute in other democracies must be addressed via constitutional amendment in India. This has led to the Constitution being amended roughly twice a year.
There are three types of amendments to the Constitution of India. The first type of amendment must be passed by a simple majority in each house of the Parliament of India. The second type of amendment must be passed by a prescribed "special majority" of each house of Parliament. The third type of amendment must be passed by a "special majority" in each house of Parliament and ratified by at least one-half of the State Legislatures.
The amendment procedure may vary depending on the types of changes required in the Indian Constitution. For example, if the bill seeks to amend the federal provisions of the Constitution, it must be ratified by the legislatures of half of the states by a simple majority. After duly passed by both the Houses of Parliament and ratified by the state legislatures, where necessary, the bill is presented to the President for assent.
Some of the important amendments to the Indian Constitution include the 122nd Amendment, which introduced the Goods and Service Tax, and the 86th Amendment, which provides for the Right to Education for children aged six to fourteen years and Early Childhood Care until the age of six.
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Frequently asked questions
Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, India's first Law Minister, is regarded as the principal architect of the Indian Constitution.
The Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Indian Constitution on 26 November 1949, and it came into effect on 26 January 1950. The Constituent Assembly also formed the Constitution Drafting Committee under the chairmanship of Dr B.R. Ambedkar on 29 August 1947.
The original Indian Constitution, preserved in a nitrogen-filled case at the Parliament Library Building in New Delhi, is the world's longest written national constitution for a sovereign nation. It had 395 articles in 22 parts and 8 schedules, totalling about 145,000 words.
