History · Polity

The Constitution of India

How the Constitution was made, where its ideas came from, and the Articles and amendments asked most often.

Making of the Constitution

1. 9 December 1946Constituent Assembly first meets

   Dr Sachchidananda Sinha was its temporary President.

2. 11 December 1946Dr Rajendra Prasad elected President

   H. C. Mukherjee became Vice-President. B. N. Rau was the Constitutional Adviser.

3. 13 December 1946Objectives Resolution

   Moved by Jawaharlal Nehru; adopted on 22 January 1947. It later shaped the Preamble.

4. 29 August 1947Drafting Committee formed

   Chaired by Dr B. R. Ambedkar.

5. 26 November 1949Constitution adopted

   Observed as Constitution Day (Samvidhan Divas) since 2015. Making it took about 2 years, 11 months and 18 days.

6. 26 January 1950Constitution comes into force

   Celebrated as Republic Day. The original text had 395 Articles, 22 Parts and 8 Schedules.

Borrowed features

• Government of India Act, 1935Federal scheme, office of Governor, emergency provisions, public service commissions
• United KingdomParliamentary government, rule of law, single citizenship
• United StatesFundamental Rights, judicial review, independent judiciary
• IrelandDirective Principles of State Policy
• CanadaFederation with a strong Centre, residuary powers with the Centre
• AustraliaConcurrent List
• Germany (Weimar)Suspension of Fundamental Rights during emergency
• Erstwhile USSRFundamental Duties
• South AfricaProcedure for amending the Constitution

Key Parts and Articles

• Part III · Articles 12–35Fundamental Rights
• Part IV · Articles 36–51Directive Principles of State Policy
• Part IV-A · Article 51AFundamental Duties (added in 1976)
• Article 21ARight to education, ages 6 to 14 (86th Amendment, 2002)
• Article 32Right to constitutional remedies; Ambedkar called it the heart and soul of the Constitution
• Article 148Comptroller and Auditor General
• Article 280Finance Commission
• Article 315Public Service Commissions
• Article 324Election Commission
• Article 343Hindi in Devanagari as official language of the Union
• Article 352 · 356 · 360National emergency · President's rule · Financial emergency
• Article 368Power of Parliament to amend the Constitution

Landmark amendments

1. 19511st Amendment

   Added the Ninth Schedule.

2. 197642nd Amendment

   Called the mini-Constitution. Added 'Socialist', 'Secular' and 'Integrity' to the Preamble, and the Fundamental Duties (Swaran Singh Committee). The Preamble has been amended only this once.

3. 197844th Amendment

   Removed the right to property from Fundamental Rights; it is now a legal right under Article 300A.

4. 199273rd and 74th Amendments

   Constitutional status for Panchayats and Municipalities.

5. 200286th Amendment

   Right to education (Article 21A) and an 11th Fundamental Duty.

6. 2016101st Amendment

   Goods and Services Tax; GST Council under Article 279A.

7. 2019103rd Amendment

   10% reservation for economically weaker sections (EWS).

8. 2023106th Amendment

   One-third of seats in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies reserved for women (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam).

Landmark case