It is a fundamental law of India that provides for the political, social, and legal setup of the country. It has a very important function in the direction of management of the largest democratic country in the world. The Indian Constitution is a significant document; however, its origin and the most intriguing facts surrounding the Constitution are nonpareil. Interesting facts about the Indian Constitution: how you will learn about it in this article, you will find out some of the features of the Indian Constitution, its structure, and the people who played an essential role in its formation.
India has the largest Constitution of any country in the world; the Constitution of India was enacted on November 26, 1949, and came into effect on the 26th of January, 1950. It enshrines India’s dream of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity. It was a tough process to prepare this document because India is a diverse country with different cultures, languages, & religions. This article will give anyone basic general knowledge about the Indian Constitution, including information on all about Indian Constitution, how it came to be, and what is unique about it in today’s world.
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Interesting Facts About the Indian Constitution
The Indian Constitution has the following features that distinguish it from the constitutions of other countries. No wonder, these constitutional facts are interesting and informative, and they range from the overall size of the constitution to specific processes involved in constituting the constitution.
1. Longest Written Constitution:
We recall interesting facts about Indian Constitution, which is known to be one of the most elaborately written Constitutions in the world. With 395 articles, 22 parts, and 8 schedules at the time of adoption, the Constitution has grown over time with numerous amendments, currently containing 470 articles in 25 parts.
2. Handwritten in English and Hindi:
Democracy information about India comprises the fact that the first drafts of the Indian Constitution were not even written on typewriters. Several pages were written in English and Hindi, and each was attractively framed by calligraphers. Prem Behari Narain Raizada wrote its English translation.
3. Adopted but Came into Force Later:
The Constitution of India was framed by the Constituent Assembly and was adopted on the 26th of November, 1949, but came into force on the 26th of January, 1950. The gap was required for the much-needed administrative and political shuffling to occur. January 26 was chosen to mark the Purna Swaraj, which was declared way back in 1930.
4. World’s Largest Democracy:
The Indian Constitution is the very support structure of the largest democratic nation in the world. It ensures free and fair elections, which have allowed India to maintain democratic governance since independence.
5. No Mention of ‘Prime Minister’ in the Original Constitution:
One of the interesting facts about our constitution is that the word ‘Prime Minister’ does not exist in the constitution as it is today. This gives a pointer to institutionalism as opposed to individualism in the European Union. However, the function of the Prime Minister is implied in the Articles concerning the Council of Ministers.
Important Facts About the Indian Constitution
Now let me briefly highlight important facts about Indian Constitution, with an emphasis on the drafting of the Constitution.
Drafting of the Indian Constitution
The framing of the constitution in India was one of the progressive moves that needed the effort of many constitutional makers.
1. Formation of the Constituent Assembly:
The Constituent Assembly was appointed in 1946 for framing the Constitution. Many of the members are from across the Indian states, classified depending on their social, cultural, or political practices. The chairman of the Drafting Committee was B. R. Ambedkar, who is known as the father of Indian Constitution and the father of Indian polity.
2. Key personalities involved:
The Constitution of India has been prepared by many personalities, among them Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and so on. It will be useful to remind ourselves that B. R. Ambedkar, who is worshipped as the Indian Constitution’s father, was a primary drafter and even among the creators of the concept.
3. Duration of Drafting Process:
How many days to make Indian constitution? It took a little over 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days were spent in the drafting of the Constitution.
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Unique Features of the Indian Constitution
Consequently, the Indian Constitution is flexible and rigid at the same time to borrow from other countries but suits India.
1. Length and Complexity:
As stated earlier, the current Constitution is the world’s longest one, together with the compiled ones. Laws enshrine sections from civil rights and political systems to social justice addressing India’s social and geographical needs and diversity.
2. Borrowed Features from Other Constitutions:
Some of the provisions are derived from the constitutions of other countries in the world. For instance, the Parliamentary system borrowed from the UK, the federal structure borrowed from the US, and the Directive principles borrowed from Ireland.
3. Federal Structure with Unitary Bias:
The Indian polity follows a federal structure of government, but this has a unitary structure or bias due to the control and power vested with the government, all the more during a crisis.
4. Flexibility and rigidity:
The features of Indian constitution are also the type of constitution that possesses features of both being elastic as well as rigid. Each part of the Constitution has been made alterable by Parliament by a simple majority, while others require a two-thirds majority, making it more stable but flexible.
Key Components of the Indian Constitution
The Constitution contains several critical sections that are required for Indian democracy to run effectively.
1. Preamble:
The preamble is the spirit of the Constitution that asserts the principles of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity.
2. Fundamental Rights:
The Fundamental Rights are part of the Constitution, which allows and protects many rights for its citizens.
3. Directive Principles of State Policy:
These principles help the state formulate policies on the lives of the people and social and economic democracy.
4. Fundamental Duties:
The Fundamental Duties that are additional to the 42nd Amendment are as follows; which provides for the duties of the Indian citizens.
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Significant Amendments to the Constitution
Several amendments have characterised the Constitution in the past years. Here are some of them, which I consider to be crucial.
1. First Amendment (1951):
This one dealt with issues to do with land reform, freedom of speech, and property rights.
2. 42nd Amendment (1976):
This amendment is popularly referred to as the ‘Mini-Constitution’ because of the number of changes, which also included making changes to the two new terms, ‘Socialist’ and ‘Secular,’ in the preamble to the Constitution.
3. 44th Amendment (1978):
These changes included reversing some of the civil liberties curtailment that had been effected by the 42nd Amendment.
4. Other Notable Amendments:
The 73rd and 74th Amendments made the local bodies more powerful and gave democracy participation at the grassroots level.
Influence and Role of the Judiciary in the Constitution
The Indian judiciary plays a vital role in upholding constitutional values.
1. Supreme Court of India:
The Supreme Court is one of the highest organs of the state that monitors the compliance of the laws of the Constitution.
2. Judicial Review:
They can hold that any law that has been enacted by the other two arms of government is unconstitutional, null, and void.
3. Landmark Judgements:
In some of these judgments, including Kesavananda Bharati v., from authorities like the Union of India and the State of Kerala, the constitution’s meaning has been shifted.
The Constitution in Modern-Day India
The Constitution continues to be used actively in contemporary Indian society and polity to define its political and cultural framework.
1. Impact on Indian Governance:
Even today, the Constitution strongly governs the country and maintains democracy and the law.
2. Challenges to Constitutional Values:
There are some controversies or further discourses at present, especially about the conflicts of interest between the liberty of people and the security of the state.
3. Debates on Constitutional Amendments:
Changes are always an area of discussion with many differences, especially on items like reservation and electoral matters.
Importance of Constitution Day (26th November)
Constitution Day is celebrated on November 26 every year to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution, raising awareness about its significance.
Final Thoughts on Facts About the Indian Constitution
It is more than that; it is the paper upon which Indian history, culture, and quest for democracy were etched out. When one searches for information about Indian Constitution, it emerges that its forefathers intended to design a Constitution that would be adaptable in the future. Renowned coaching for law entrance, The Opus Way can guide students to understand more Indian law facts to guide them across the complex legal system in India.
FAQs on Information About the Indian Constitution
1. Who is known as the father of the Indian Constitution?
Babasaheb Dr. B. R. Ambedkar is known as Father of the Indian Constitution.
2. What are the key components of the Indian Constitution?
Some of the main features are the Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles of State Policy, and the Structure of the Government.
3. How old is the Indian Constitution?
The Constitution of India was enacted on the 26th of January 1950, and therefore the constitution has not been in force for more than 70 years.
4. Who formed the Constitution of India?
Our constitution was created by the constitution and many leaders like Dr B R Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru, etc.
5. Why does India need a Constitution?
India needs a Constitution to define the structure of governance, protect individual rights, and ensure social justice.
6. What does the Indian Constitution mean?
It imparts to the people of India its governmental structure, being the constitution of India and its citizens’ rights and responsibilities.
7. What are the three importance of the Indian Constitution?
It safeguards democracy, engages the protection of individuals in a country, and offers a guide to the destiny of social and economic justice.
8. What roles does the Indian Constitution play in today’s world?
The main objectives are to set up justice and equality, as well as liberty and fraternity among the citizens.
It was created by the Drafting Committee headed by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
