Malcolm Rivera
The Indian Constitution was signed by 284 members of the Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949, to adopt the draft constitution. The Constituent Assembly of India met for the first time on 9 December 1946, and the constitution was ratified on 26 January 1950, when India became a sovereign, democratic republic.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 26 November 1949 |
| Number of Constituent Assembly members signing | 284 |
| Total number of Constituent Assembly members | 299 |
| Date the Indian Constitution was ratified | 24 January 1950 |
| Total number of members who signed | 284 |
| First person to sign | Dr Rajendra Prasad, India's first president |
| Last person to sign | Feroze Gandhi, the president of the Constituent Assembly |
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What You'll Learn
Dr Rajendra Prasad was India's first president and the first to sign
The Indian Constitution was signed by 284 members of the Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949, to adopt the draft constitution. The Constituent Assembly of India met for the first time on 9 December 1946 and took almost three years to draft the constitution.
Dr Rajendra Prasad, India's first president, was the first to sign the Indian Constitution on 24 January 1950. Prasad was elected President of the Constituent Assembly in 1946 and gave an address upon being elected the permanent Chairman of the Constituent Assembly. In his address, he expressed his hope that the Assembly would frame the constitution of an independent and free India.
The original Indian Constitution was handwritten and illustrated by artists from Shantiniketan, including Beohar Rammanohar Sinha and Nandalal Bose. The calligraphy was created by Prem Behari Narain Raizada. The constitution has had more than 100 amendments since it was enacted. It is the world's longest for a sovereign nation, with 395 articles in 22 parts and 8 schedules.
On 26 January 1950, the Indian Constitution became the law of India, and India became a sovereign, democratic republic.
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284 members signed the draft constitution
The Indian Constitution was signed by 284 members of the Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949. This was the date on which the motion to adopt the draft constitution was passed. The Constituent Assembly comprised 299 members, but only 284 were present on the day the motion was passed.
The Constituent Assembly was elected by the members of the provincial assemblies. The first session of the Constituent Assembly was held on 9 December 1946, and it took almost three years to draft the constitution. During this period, the Constituent Assembly held eleven sessions over a 165-day period. The first meeting of the Constituent Assembly was attended by 205 or 207 members, including 9 women.
The final session of the Constituent Assembly convened on 24 January 1950, and the constitution was signed by all members on this date. Each member signed two copies of the constitution, 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 calligraphy was done by Prem Behari Narain Raizada.
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The Constituent Assembly drafted the constitution
The Constituent Assembly of India first met on the 9th of December 1946 in the Constitution Hall, now known as the Central Hall of Parliament House. The Assembly had 299 members: 229 members elected from 12 Indian provinces and 70 members nominated from 29 Princely States. The Constituent Assembly drafted the Constitution of India over three years, holding eleven sessions over a 165-day period.
The first session of the Constituent Assembly was held on 11 December 1946, where Dr Rajendra Prasad was unanimously elected as its President. In an address upon being elected the permanent Chairman, Dr Rajendra Prasad said:
> Indeed, it is in the power of this Constituent Assembly to get rid of and demolish the very limitations which have been attached to it at its birth, and I hope that you, ladies and gentlemen, who have come here to frame the constitution of an independent and free India...
Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Chairman of the Drafting Committee, Constituent Assembly (1946-1949), said in a speech:
> Looking back on the work of the Constituent Assembly, it will now be two years, eleven months and seventeen days since it first met on the 9th of December 1946. During this period, the Constituent Assembly has altogether held eleven sessions.
The motion of the Draft Constitution passed on 26 November 1949 was signed by 284 members present on that day in the Constituent Assembly. The draft Constitution was signed by the members and the President. On 26 November 1949, the Indian Constitution was ratified, and on 24 January 1950, the members added their signatures. The Constitution was signed by 284 members in total.
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The constitution was signed on 24 January 1950
The Indian Constitution was signed on 24 January 1950, marking the end of a long journey towards independence and self-governance. The Constituent Assembly, which was responsible for drafting the Constitution, first convened on 9 December 1946, with 205 to 207 members in attendance. Over the next few years, the Assembly worked diligently to craft a constitution that met the needs and conditions of India.
The Assembly held eleven sessions over a period of 165 days, spread across two years, eleven months, and seventeen days. The final session, on 24 January 1950, saw all 284 members present sign two copies of the Constitution, one in Hindi and the other in English. The original Constitution is a work of art, with each page beautifully decorated by artists from Shantiniketan, including Beohar Rammanohar Sinha and Nandalal Bose. The calligraphy was meticulously crafted by Prem Behari Narain Raizada.
The signing of the Constitution was a significant milestone in India's history. Just two days later, on 26 January 1950, the Constitution became the law of the land, and India officially ceased to be a dominion of the British Crown. This date also marked the repeal of the Indian Independence Act 1947 and the Government of India Act 1935, as India transitioned into a sovereign, democratic republic.
The process of drafting and signing the Constitution was a collaborative effort involving many notable figures. Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India's first president, was the first to sign the document on 24 January 1950. Feroze Gandhi, the president of the Constituent Assembly at the time, was the last to add his signature. Other key figures include Jawaharlal Nehru, who played a pivotal role in convincing princely states to integrate with India, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who served as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee.
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The constitution was handwritten in Hindi and English
The Indian Constitution, the world's longest for a sovereign nation, was drafted by the Constituent Assembly, which was elected by members of the provincial assemblies. 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 original constitution is handwritten in Hindi and English, with each page decorated by artists from Shantiniketan, including Beohar Rammanohar Sinha and Nandalal Bose. The calligrapher was Prem Behari Narain Raizada, a resident of Delhi, who wrote it in italic style. The constitution was published in Dehradun and photolithographed by the Survey of India.
The first session of the Constituent Assembly was held on 11 December 1946, where Dr Rajendra Prasad was unanimously elected as its President. The inaugural session began with Acharya J.B. Kriplani introducing Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha, the oldest member of the Assembly, who was proposed as its chair. The motion of the Draft Constitution passed on 26 November 1949, was signed by 284 members present on that day in the Constituent Assembly, out of a total of 299 members. The draft Constitution was also signed by the members and the President. The assembly's final session convened on 24 January 1950, with each member signing two copies of the constitution, one in Hindi and the other in English. Two days later, on 26 January 1950, it became the law of India.
The Indian Constitution has emerged from various influences and the tide of time, struggle, and motility. The concept of Five-Year Plans was taken from the USSR, while the Directive Principles (socio-economic rights) were inspired by Ireland. The ideals of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity in the Preamble were influenced by the French Revolution, and the Preamble itself was inspired by the US Constitution. The Indian Constitution also borrowed features from previous legislation, such as the Government of India Acts of 1858, 1861, 1892, and 1909, as well as the Indian Independence Act of 1947.
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Frequently asked questions
Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India’s first president, was the first person to sign the Indian Constitution on 24 January 1950.
Feroze Gandhi, the president of the Constituent Assembly at the time, was the last person to sign the Indian Constitution.
284 members of the Constituent Assembly signed the Indian Constitution on 26 November 1949. However, there were 299 members in total.
Each member signed two copies of the constitution, one in Hindi and the other in English. The original constitution is handwritten, with each page decorated by artists from Shantiniketan.
The Indian Constitution was ratified on 26 November 1949, and on 26 January 1950, it became the law of India.
