Constitution of India: Difference between revisions

Constitution of India
	The original manuscript of the Constitution of India
Country	India
Language	English, Hindi
Genre	Constitution, Legal document
Publisher	Government of India
Publication date	26 January 1950
Pages	Approx. 117,369 words
Media type	Print, Digital
Website	[legislative.gov.in Visit]

VisualWikitext

Latest revision as of 16:37, 12 August 2025

Constitution of India is the supreme law of the Republic of India. It lays down the framework that defines the political principles, structure, powers, and duties of the government institutions and the rights and duties of citizens. Adopted on 26 November 1949 and enforced on 26 January 1950, it marked the birth of modern Indian democracy.

Historical Background

After gaining independence in 1947, the Constituent Assembly of India, chaired by Dr. Rajendra Prasad and with B. R. Ambedkar as the chairman of the Drafting Committee, was tasked with formulating a new constitution. The Assembly worked for almost three years, holding 11 sessions over 165 days of debate. The final document replaced the Government of India Act 1935 and established India as a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic.

Structure and Features

The Constitution originally had 395 articles and 8 schedules; today, it consists of over 470 articles in 25 parts and 12 schedules, making it the longest written constitution in the world. It includes:

Fundamental Rights – civil liberties like equality, freedom, and protection under the law
Federal structure with a strong central government
Provision for amendments to allow adaptability

It adopts features from various international constitutions, such as the parliamentary system from the UK, fundamental rights from the USA, and directive principles from Ireland.

Amendments

The Constitution is a living document and has been amended multiple times. The first amendment was passed in 1951. The most prominent is the 42nd Amendment (1976), which inserted the words "Socialist", "Secular", and "Integrity" into the Preamble during the Emergency period.

Preamble

The Preamble declares India to be a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic and secures justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity for its citizens. It serves as the guiding philosophy of the Constitution.

Importance

The Constitution ensures the rule of law, separation of powers, independence of judiciary, and a system of checks and balances. It guarantees the dignity of individuals and the unity and integrity of the nation. The Supreme Court of India is the final interpreter and guardian of the Constitution.

References

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{#seo:
-|title=Constitution of India – Framework, History, and Features
+|title=Constitution of India Biography – Supreme Law of the Republic of India
-|description=The Constitution of India is the supreme law of the Republic of India, adopted in 1949 and enforced on 26 January 1950. Learn about its making, structure, and significance.
+|description=The Constitution of India is the highest law of the land, adopted in 1949 and enforced on 26 January 1950. It lays the foundation for Indian democracy and governance.
-|keywords=Constitution of India, Indian Constitution, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles, B. R. Ambedkar, Republic of India, Indian law
+|keywords=Constitution of India, Indian Constitution, B. R. Ambedkar, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles, Indian law, Republic of India
-|image=Constitution_of_India.jpg
+|image=https://knowlepedia.org/images/a/ab/Constitution_of_India.jpg
-}}
+|og:type=article
-{{Infobox document
+|og:title=Constitution of India – Supreme Law of the Nation
-| title = Constitution of India
+|og:description=Explore the making, structure, and importance of the Indian Constitution that guides the world’s largest democracy.
-| image = Constitution_of_India.jpg
+|og:image=https://knowlepedia.org/images/a/ab/Constitution_of_India.jpg
-| caption = Original manuscript of the Constitution of India
+|twitter:card=summary_large_image
-| date_drafted = 26 November 1949
+}} {{Infobox book
-| date_effective = 26 January 1950
+| name         = Constitution of India
-| location_of_document = [[Parliament of India]], New Delhi
+| image        = Constitution of India.jpg
-| author = [[Constituent Assembly of India]]
+| caption      = The original manuscript of the Constitution of India
-| signers = 284 members of the Constituent Assembly
+| author       =
-| purpose = Superseding the Government of India Act 1935 and establishing the Republic of India
+| country      = India
-}}
+| language     = English, Hindi
+| genre        = Constitution, Legal document
-'''Constitution of India''' is the supreme law of the [[Republic of India]]. It lays down the framework that defines the political principles, structure, powers, and duties of the government institutions and the rights and duties of citizens. Adopted on '''26 November 1949''' and enforced on '''26 January 1950''', it marked the birth of modern Indian democracy.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/topic/Constitution-of-India</ref>
+| publisher    = Government of India
+| pub_date     = 26 January 1950
+| isbn         =
+| pages        = Approx. 117,369 words
+| media_type   = Print, Digital
+| website      = [https://legislative.gov.in/constitution-of-india legislative.gov.in]
+}}'''Constitution of India''' is the supreme law of the [[Republic of India]]. It lays down the framework that defines the political principles, structure, powers, and duties of the government institutions and the rights and duties of citizens. Adopted on '''26 November 1949''' and enforced on '''26 January 1950''', it marked the birth of modern Indian democracy.
 == Historical Background ==
-After gaining independence in 1947, the [[Constituent Assembly of India]], chaired by [[Dr. Rajendra Prasad]] and with [[B. R. Ambedkar]] as the chairman of the Drafting Committee, was tasked with formulating a new constitution. The Assembly worked for almost three years, holding 11 sessions over 165 days of debate.<ref>https://www.india.gov.in/my-government/constitution-india</ref> The final document replaced the [[Government of India Act 1935]] and established India as a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic.<ref>https://www.constitutionofindia.net/historical_constitutions/government-of-india-act-1935/</ref>
+After gaining independence in 1947, the [[Constituent Assembly of India]], chaired by Dr. Rajendra Prasad and with [[B. R. Ambedkar]] as the chairman of the Drafting Committee, was tasked with formulating a new constitution. The Assembly worked for almost three years, holding 11 sessions over 165 days of debate. The final document replaced the Government of India Act 1935 and established India as a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic.
 == Structure and Features ==
-The Constitution originally had 395 articles and 8 schedules; today, it consists of over 470 articles in 25 parts and 12 schedules, making it the longest written constitution in the world.<ref>https://www.lawinsider.in/columns/why-indian-constitution-is-the-longest-written-constitution</ref> It includes:
+The Constitution originally had 395 articles and 8 schedules; today, it consists of over 470 articles in 25 parts and 12 schedules, making it the longest written constitution in the world. It includes:
-* '''Fundamental Rights''' – civil liberties like equality, freedom, and protection under the law<ref>https://legislative.gov.in/constitution-of-india</ref>
+* '''Fundamental Rights''' – civil liberties like equality, freedom, and protection under the law
-* '''Directive Principles of State Policy''' – guidelines for governance aiming at social and economic welfare
-* '''Fundamental Duties''' – responsibilities expected from Indian citizens<ref>https://ncert.nic.in/textbook/pdf/leps104.pdf</ref>
 * '''Federal structure''' with a strong central government
 * Provision for '''amendments''' to allow adaptability
-It adopts features from various international constitutions, such as the parliamentary system from the UK, fundamental rights from the USA, and directive principles from Ireland.<ref>https://blog.ipleaders.in/borrowed-features-constitution-india/</ref>
+It adopts features from various international constitutions, such as the parliamentary system from the UK, fundamental rights from the USA, and directive principles from Ireland.
 == Amendments ==
-The Constitution is a living document and has been amended multiple times. The first amendment was passed in 1951. The most prominent is the '''42nd Amendment (1976)''', which inserted the words "Socialist", "Secular", and "Integrity" into the Preamble during the Emergency period.<ref>https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/42nd-amendment-of-indian-constitution-839538-2016-12-09</ref>
+The Constitution is a living document and has been amended multiple times. The first amendment was passed in 1951. The most prominent is the '''42nd Amendment (1976)''', which inserted the words "Socialist", "Secular", and "Integrity" into the Preamble during the Emergency period.
 == Preamble ==
-The Preamble declares India to be a '''Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic''' and secures justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity for its citizens.<ref>https://www.india.gov.in/my-government/constitution-india/preamble</ref> It serves as the guiding philosophy of the Constitution.
+The Preamble declares India to be a '''Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic''' and secures justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity for its citizens. It serves as the guiding philosophy of the Constitution.
 == Importance ==
-The Constitution ensures the rule of law, separation of powers, independence of judiciary, and a system of checks and balances. It guarantees the dignity of individuals and the unity and integrity of the nation. The [[Supreme Court of India]] is the final interpreter and guardian of the Constitution.<ref>https://main.sci.gov.in/</ref>
+The Constitution ensures the rule of law, separation of powers, independence of judiciary, and a system of checks and balances. It guarantees the dignity of individuals and the unity and integrity of the nation. The [[Supreme Court of India]] is the final interpreter and guardian of the Constitution.
 == See Also ==
-* [[Preamble to the Constitution of India]]
+* Preamble to the Constitution of India
-* [[Fundamental Rights in India]]
+* Fundamental Rights in India
 * [[Constituent Assembly of India]]
 * [[B. R. Ambedkar]]
@@ Line 51: / Line 55: @@
 == References ==
 <references/>
+[[Category:Indian Constitution]]
+[[Category:Indian Law]]
+[[Category:Legal Framework of India]]
+[[Category:Government of India]]
+[[Category:1949 in India]]