Chapter-10

The Constitution of India- An

Introduction

POINTS TO REMEMBER

 When we talk about constitution we first

have to understand, what is
constitution? So, Constitution is a
document that spells out a nation’s
basic principles and laws.
 In short, the basic laws and principles of
a nation is written in the constitution.
Constitution came into effect on 26
January 1950 when we celebrate our
republic day.
 This book defines the three functions of
Government- Legislature, Executive and
the last judiciary.
 This book also includes the rights and
duties of citizens, Fairness and
responsibilities of government and etc…
 A constitution lays down the procedure
of law-making means how the laws and
rules are and how should we follow it.
 The main thing written in constitution is
it define the nature of government, how
 the government is, the functions of
government, the procedure and posts of
government, procedure of how the
government works.
 The task of writing our India
constitution was given to a constituent
assembly, this constituent assembly
was formed on 9 December 1946 under
presidency of Dr. Sachidananda Sinha.
He was the first provisional president of
constituent assembly. But he was not
the permanent and final one, he was
elected on a temporary basis only.
 After Dr. Sachidananda Sinha, the
assembly elected Dr. Rajendra prasad to
take over the constituent assembly. The
rules should be written in constitution
were decided in different conferences
and a proper discussion among 299
members with 15 females that was after
partition of India and Pakistan in
1947(Before 389).
 The assembly elected Dr. Rajendra
prasad as a permanent First and last
president of Constituent assembly. He
was none other but one and only our
first president of India from 1950 till
1962.
 Now to draft the constitution under
constituent assembly one drafting
 committee formed:
Formed on 29 August 1947 (after
Partition).
i. It had 7 members in total.
ii. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was elected as
the Chairman.
iii. Main work: prepare and draft the
Constitution of India.
iv. Part of the Constituent Assembly
and worked under it.
v. Submitted the final draft in February
1948 and revised drafts later.
 The final version of the Constitution was
completed and adopted on
26 November 1949.
 Step 3: Constitution came into force
 It came into effect on 26 January 1950,
that’s why 26 January is celebrated as
Republic Day.
Ques.) How the constitution was copied
and pasted from across the world and
how it became the world longest
constitution?
Ans. 🇬🇧 From Britain (UK)
 Parliamentary system
 Rule of Law
 Single citizenship
 Cabinet system
  Concept of Speaker & procedures of
Parliament
🇺🇸 From the USA
 Fundamental Rights
 Supreme Court structure
 Impeachment of President
 Vice President’s role
 Judicial Review
🇨🇦 From Canada
 Federal system with strong Centre
 Residual powers to Centre
🇮🇪 From Ireland
 Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP)
 Election of President
🇦🇺 From Australia
 Concurrent list
 Trade and commerce rules
🇷🇺 From USSR (now Russia)
 Fundamental Duties
 Five-year plans
🇫🇷 From France
 Liberty, Equality, Fraternity (the slogan)
🇩🇪 From Germany
 Emergency powers
 Suspension of rights during emergency
🇿🇦 From South Africa
 Procedure of Constitutional amendments
 Election of Rajya Sabha members

India’s Constitution is basically the world’s

biggest collab project
We took the best features from different
countries and made our own giant, original
Constitution — the longest written Constitution
in the world.
Question and answer (More than notes for
understanding)

1. What is preamble in constitution

of India?
Ans.) The Preamble is the opening
statement of the Constitution that
explains its purpose, philosophy, and
the basic ideals on which India is built.
2. Explain parliament in short.
Ans.) Parliament is India’s highest law-
making body. It has two houses — the
Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha — plus
the President.
It makes laws, controls the government,
and represents the people of India.
3. Explain parliament in brief.
Ans.)
Parliament is the supreme law-making
 body of India and consists of the Lok
Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and the President.
It makes laws, discusses national
issues, and keeps a check on the
functioning of the government. It
controls finances by passing the budget
and represents the people through their
elected leaders.
4. Explain the functions written in
preamble.
Ans.) Justice – The Preamble ensures
social, economic, and political justice for
all people. Liberty – It gives freedom of
thought, expression, belief, faith, and
worship. Equality – It promises equal
status and equal opportunities for every
citizen. Fraternity – It promotes
brotherhood, unity, and harmony in the
nation. It also defines India as a
sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic,
republic nation.

 Constitution of India is a Living

Document – Explanation with Examples
The Constitution of India is called a living
document because it can change, grow, and
adapt to the needs of society. It is not fixed
or rigid like a static document.
Examples to support this:
The Constitution has been amended many
times to update laws and rights.
Example: The 73rd and 74th Amendments
created Panchayati Raj and strengthened
local governments.
New rights have been added over time.
Example: Right to Education (RTE) was
added by the 86th Amendment.
Supreme Court interpretations keep
evolving.
Example: The Court declared Right to
Privacy as a Fundamental Right in 2017,
even though it was not written originally.
These changes show that the Constitution
grows with time, which is why it is called a
living document.
. Introduction
The Constitution of India is the supreme
law of the land, laying down the
framework for the governance of the
country. It ensures that India functions as
a democratic republic and safeguards the
rights of its citizens. Every citizen and
important official—such as the President,
Prime Minister, ministers, and judges—
pledge to uphold and follow the
Constitution.
The Constitution lays out:
 The framework of the three organs of
government—legislature, executive, and
judiciary.
 Checks and balances among these
organs to maintain fairness,
accountability, and responsibility.
 The rights and duties of citizens.
 The long-term goals and aspirations of
the nation.
Just as a rulebook in a game resolves
disputes and ensures fairness, the
Constitution serves as the “rulebook” of
India, providing clarity and guidance for
governance.
2. Formation of the Constitution
 After independence, it was necessary to
plan how India would govern itself.
 Questions included:
o What type of government should
India have?
o Who should have the right to vote?
o How would disputes be settled?
o What rules and principles should
guide the country?
Constituent Assembly:
 Formed in 1946 with 389 members, later
reduced to 299 after Partition.
 15 women were part of the Assembly.
 Members represented diverse regions,
social groups, and professions.
 Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the Chairman.
 Dr. B.R. Ambedkar chaired the Drafting
Committee that prepared the initial
text.
Timeline:
 Constituent Assembly formed: 9
December 1946
 Constitution completed: 26 November
1949
 Constitution adopted and enforced: 26
January 1950 → celebrated as Republic
Day

3. Influences on the Constitution

The Indian Constitution was shaped by
multiple influences:
a) Indian Freedom Movement:
 Many leaders of the freedom struggle
were members of the Constituent
Assembly.
 Values from the movement included:
o Equality of all
o Justice for all
o Freedom
o Fraternity
o Preservation of India’s cultural
heritage
 The Constitution became a tool to
achieve these values.
b) India’s Civilisational Heritage:
 Ancient governance ideas such as
janapadas, sanghas, councils, Kautilya’s
 saptānga, and rajadharma influenced
the Constitution.
 Emphasis on citizens’ duties and roles in
governance led to the inclusion of
Fundamental Duties.
 Cultural principles like acceptance of
different viewpoints, respect for nature
and women, pursuit of knowledge,
vasudhaiva kutumbakam (“the world is
one family”), and sarve bhavantu
sukhinah (well-being of all) are
embedded in the Constitution.
c) Learnings from Other Countries:
 France: Liberty, equality, fraternity
 Ireland: Directive Principles of State
Policy (DPSPs)
 USA: Independent judiciary
 UK, Australia, and others: Useful
democratic practices
This blending of Indian tradition and
global democratic practices helped create
a Constitution suitable for India’s unique
context.

4. Key Features of the Constitution

1. Three Organs of Government:
o Legislature: Makes laws.
 o Executive: Implements laws (headed
by the Prime Minister at the Centre).
o Judiciary: Ensures laws comply with
the Constitution and decides
punishments.
2. Separation of Powers: Maintains
checks and balances among legislature,
executive, and judiciary.
3. Three-Tier System of Government:
o Central (Union) Government
o State Governments
o Local Governments (Panchayati Raj
System)
4. Roles and Responsibilities:
o Constitution clearly defines the
duties, functions, and accountability
of each organ.
o Electoral system ensures every
eligible citizen can vote.
5. Fundamental Rights:
o Legal guarantees that can be
enforced in court.
o Protect citizens from unfair
treatment based on caste, religion,
gender, or other factors.
6. Directive Principles of State Policy
(DPSPs):
o Non-justiciable guidelines for the
government to improve social and
economic conditions.
o Examples include providing a good
standard of living for all citizens.
o DPSPs are goals rather than
enforceable laws.
7. Fundamental Duties:
o Duties expected of every citizen to
respect the Constitution and
contribute to nation-building.

5. Living Constitution
 The Constitution is a living document; it
can be amended to meet the changing
needs of society.
 Example amendments:
o Fundamental Duties (Part IV-A):
Added in 1976
o Panchayati Raj System: Added in
1992 through the 73rd Amendment
 Citizens can influence changes through
courts or popular movements:
 o In 2004, the Supreme Court
recognized flying the national flag at
home as part of the Fundamental
Right to Freedom of Expression.
 The Constitution is also an artistic
masterpiece:
o Text hand-written by Prem Behari
Narain Raizada
o Illustrations by Nandalal Bose depict
India’s history, from Mohenjo-daro to
the freedom struggle

6. Preamble: The Guiding Values

The Preamble is the essence of the
Constitution and outlines its core values:
 We, the People of India: The
Constitution is created by the people,
not handed down by rulers.
 Sovereign: India has supreme authority
over its internal and external matters.
 Republic: The head of state is elected,
not hereditary.
 Justice: Social, economic, and political
justice for all citizens.
 Liberty: Freedom of thought,
expression, belief, and action.
 Equality: Equal treatment under law;
elimination of social inequalities.
 Fraternity: Promotes unity, harmony,
and a sense of brotherhood among all
citizens.
 Socialist: Wealth is generated
collectively and should be shared;
government regulates resources to
reduce inequalities.
 Secular: Freedom of religion for all; no
official religion.
 Democratic: People elect rulers and hold
them accountable through free
elections.
(Note: “Socialist” and “Secular” were
added through the 42nd Amendment in
1976.)
The Preamble acts as a compass for
governance, guiding laws, policies, and
citizens’ duties.

7. Summary
 The Constitution ensures justice, liberty,
equality, and fraternity in India.
 It balances immediate rights
(Fundamental Rights) with long-term
goals (Directive Principles).
 It reflects India’s cultural heritage, the
ideals of the freedom struggle, and
lessons from other democracies.
 As a living document, it can evolve to
meet the needs of a changing society
while protecting citizens’ rights.
 The Preamble summarizes the
Constitution’s values and vision for
India.