Indian Constitution, Salient Features, Preamble, Schedules & More

Indian Constitution: The Indian Constitution set down the basic structure of the political system under which its people are to be governed. The Constitution establishes the main part of the state, the legislature, the executive and the judiciary also define their powers, separate their responsibilities and regulate their relationships with each other and with people also.

Indian Constitution

The first Indian Constitution framed and given to themselves by the people of India, was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26 Nov 1949. It came into existence with full effect from 26 Jan 1950. The Indian Constitution originally had 22 parts, 395 articles and 8 schedules. The constitution is amended from time to time. During the last 70 years, there have been as many as 105 amendments. There are also 4 new schedules added to the constitution and the number of articles also increased. The Indian Constitution is unique in content as well as the spirit of the Constitution is also unique. The main feature of the Indian Constitution is to provide a set of basic rules that allow for minimal coordination among members of society.

Making of the Indian Constitution

In 1934, M.N.Roy put forward the idea of Constituent Assembly for India for the first time. He was a pioneer of the communist movement in India. The Indian National Congress in 1935 officially demanded the Constituent Assembly to frame the Indian Constitution. On behalf of INC in the Year 1938, Jawaharlal Nehru declared that the constitution of free India must be framed without any outside interference, by the Constituent Assembly elected on the basis of an Adult franchise.

Working of the Constituent Assembly

It held its first meeting on December 9, 1946. The Muslim League insisted on a separate state of Pakistan and boycotted the meeting. The meeting was attended by only 211 members, Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha, the oldest member, was elected as the temporary President of the Assembly. After some time, Dr Rajendra Prasad was elected as the President of the Assembly and H.C. Mukherjee and V.T. Krishnamachari both were elected as the Vice-Presidents of the Assembly.

Indian Constitution Preamble

The term ‘Preamble’ refers to the preface or introduction to the Indian Constitution. It contains the essence of the Constitution. The Preamble of the Indian Constitution is also called the ‘identity card of the Constitution.’ It is based on the ‘Objectives Resolution’, drafted and moved by Pandit Nehru, and adopted by the Constituent Assembly and it has been amended by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976, which added three new words–Socialist, Secular and Integrity. 

Ingredients of the Preamble

The Preamble reveals four ingredients:

1. Source of the authority of the Indian Constitution-It states that the Constitution derives its authority from the people of India.

2. Nature of Indian State- Preamble declares India to be of a socialists, sovereign, democratic, secular and republican polity. 

3. Objectives of the Indian Constitution- It specifies liberty, justice, equality and fraternity as the objectives.

Indian Constitution- Committee

The Constituent Assembly appointed many committees to deal with different duties and tasks of Indian Constitution-making. Out of these, there were eight major committees and the others were minor committees. 

Major Committees 

Drafting Committee

Among all the committees, the most important committee was the Drafting Committee, which was set up on August 29, 1947.Drafting Committee preparing a draft of the new Indian Constitution. It consisted of seven members.

Indian Constitution Salient Features

The Indian Constitution is unique in content as well as the spirit of the Constitution is also unique. The main feature of the constitution is to provide a set of basic rules that allow for minimal coordination among members of society. The Indian Constitution was borrowed from almost every constitution of the world but it distinguishes it from the Indian Constitutions of other countries. There is a number of original features of the Constitution change, on account of several amendments, particularly the 7th, 42nd, 44th, 73rd, 74th, 97th and 101st Amendments. The 42nd Amendment Act (1976) is known as ‘Mini-Constitution Because of the important and large number of changes made by it in various parts of the Constitution. 

The salient features of the Indian Constitution are as follows:

1. Lengthiest Written Constitution 

2. Drawn From Various Sources 

3. Blend of Rigidity and Flexibility

4. Federal System with Unitary Bias

5. Parliamentary Form of Government

6. Synthesis of Parliamentary Sovereignty and Judicial Supremacy

7. Integrated and Independent Judiciary

8. Fundamental Rights

9. Directive Principles of State Policy

10. Fundamental Duties

11. A Secular State

12. Universal Adult Franchise

13. Single Citizenship 

14. Independent Bodies

15. Emergency Provisions

16. Three-tier Government

17. Co-operative Societies 

Indian Constitution- Sources

The framers of the Indian Constitution borrowed many features from many countries which had the constitution for avoiding their faults at the same time for their suitability to the Indian conditions. The founding fathers of the Indian constitution had borrowed the good features of the constitution of different countries and differentiated them into the Indian constitution. The framers of the Constitution have also included a large number of the provisions of the Government of India Act of 1935 the Constitution of India. The list of the countries and their borrowed or influenced features are given below;

Indian Constitution Articles

There are a total of 22 parts in the Indian Constitution all of these parts deal with different subjects or areas of matter. Part VII in the Indian Constitution was deleted by the 7th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1956. Part VII was dealing with Part-B states. Also, part IV-A and Part XIV-A were added by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976, while Part IX-A was added by the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992, and Part IX-B was added by the 97th Constitutional Amendment Act of 2011.

Indian Constitution Schedule

In the Indian Constitution, there are a total of 12 schedules which are dealing with various subjects. Schedules in Constitution deals with the various subjects like; Names of the States and Union Territories & their territorial jurisdiction and their extent, Provisions relating to the emoluments, allowances, privileges and so on of President, Governor, Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in the states, Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council in the states, Judges of the Supreme Court, Judges of the High Courts 9. The Comptroller and auditor general of India, Forms of Oaths or Affirmations of various constitutional posts, Seats in Rajya sabha for various states, the administration and control of scheduled areas and scheduled tribes.the administration of tribal areas in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.Division of powers between the Union and the States, Languages recognized by the Constitution, Acts and Regulations of the state legislatures dealing with land reforms, Provisions relating to disqualification of the members of Parliament and State Legislatures, Panchayats and Municipalities.

Fundamental Rights in Indian Constitution- Read Here