Constitution of India

Constitution of India
Original text of the preamble
Overview
Jurisdiction India
Ratified26 November 1949; 74 years ago (1949-11-26)
Date effective26 January 1950; 74 years ago (1950-01-26)
SystemFederal parliamentary constitutional republic
Government structure
BranchesThree (Executive, Legislature and Judiciary)
Head of statePresident of India
ChambersTwo (Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha)
ExecutivePrime Minister of India–led cabinet responsible to the lower house of the parliament
JudiciarySupreme court, high courts and district courts
FederalismFederal[1]
Electoral collegeYes, for presidential and vice presidential elections
Entrenchments2
History
Amendments106
Last amended28 September 2023 (106th)
CitationConstitution of India (PDF), 9 September 2020, archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2020
LocationSamvidhan Sadan, New Delhi, India
Signatories284 members of the Constituent Assembly
SupersedesGovernment of India Act 1935
Indian Independence Act 1947
Part of a series on the
Constitution of India
Preamble
Parts
I ∙ II ∙ III ∙ IV ∙ IVA ∙ V ∙ VI ∙ VII
VIII ∙ IX ∙ IXA ∙ IXB ∙ X ∙ XI ∙ XII ∙ XIII ∙ XIV
XIVA ∙ XV ∙ XVI ∙ XVII ∙ XVIII ∙ XIX ∙ XX ∙ XXI
XXII
Schedules
First ∙ Second ∙ Third ∙ Fourth ∙ Fifth
Sixth ∙ Seventh ∙ Eighth ∙ Ninth
Tenth ∙ Eleventh ∙ Twelfth
Appendices
I ∙ II ∙ III ∙ IV ∙ V
Amendments
List ∙ 1 ∙ 2 ∙ 3 ∙ 4 ∙ 5 ∙ 6 ∙ 7 ∙ 8 ∙ 9 ∙ 10 ∙ 11 ∙ 12 ∙ 13 ∙ 14 ∙ 15 ∙ 16 ∙ 17 ∙ 18 ∙ 19 ∙ 20 ∙ 21 ∙ 22 ∙ 23 ∙ 24 ∙ 25 ∙ 26 ∙ 27 ∙ 28 ∙ 29 ∙ 30 ∙ 31 ∙ 32 ∙ 33 ∙ 34 ∙ 35 ∙ 36 ∙ 37 ∙ 38 ∙ 39 ∙ 40 ∙ 41 ∙ 42 ∙ 43 ∙ 44 ∙ 45 ∙ 46 ∙ 47 ∙ 48 ∙ 49 ∙ 50 ∙ 51 ∙ 52 ∙ 53 ∙ 54 ∙ 55 ∙ 56 ∙ 57 ∙ 58 ∙ 59 ∙ 60 ∙ 61 ∙ 62 ∙ 63 ∙ 64 ∙ 65 ∙ 66 ∙ 67 ∙ 68 ∙ 69 ∙ 70 ∙ 71 ∙ 72 ∙ 73 ∙ 74 ∙ 75 ∙ 76 ∙ 77 ∙ 78 ∙ 79 ∙ 80 ∙ 81 ∙ 82 ∙ 83 ∙ 84 ∙ 85 ∙ 86 ∙ 87 ∙ 88 ∙ 89 ∙ 90 ∙ 91 ∙ 92 ∙ 93 ∙ 94 ∙ 95 ∙ 96 ∙ 97 ∙ 98 ∙ 99 ∙ 100 ∙ 101 ∙ 102 ∙ 103 ∙ 104 ∙ 105 ∙ 106
Related topics

The Constitution of India is the supreme legal document of India.[2][3] The document lays down the framework that demarcates fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens. It is the longest written national constitution in the world.[4][5][6]

It imparts constitutional supremacy (not parliamentary supremacy, since it was created by a constituent assembly rather than Parliament) and was adopted by its people with a declaration in its preamble. Parliament cannot override the constitution.

B. R. Ambedkar and Constitution of India on a 2015 postage stamp of India

It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on 26 November 1949 and became effective on 26 January 1950.[7] The constitution replaced the Government of India Act 1935 as the country's fundamental governing document, and the Dominion of India became the Republic of India. To ensure constitutional autochthony, its framers repealed prior acts of the British parliament in Article 395.[8] India celebrates its constitution on 26 January as Republic Day.[9]

The constitution declares India a sovereign, socialist, secular,[10] and democratic republic, assures its citizens justice, equality, and liberty, and endeavours to promote fraternity.[11] The original 1950 constitution is preserved in a nitrogen-filled case at the Old Parliament House in New Delhi.[12]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference structure was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Original edition with original artwork - The Constitution of India. New Delhi: Government of India. 26 November 1949. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Preface, The constitution of India" (PDF). Government of India. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 March 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Pylee, Moolamattom Varkey (1994). India's Constitution (5th rev. and enl. ed.). New Delhi: R. Chand & Company. p. 3. ISBN 978-8121904032. OCLC 35022507.
  6. ^ Nix, Elizabeth (9 August 2016). "Which country has the world's shortest written constitution?". History. A&E Networks. Archived from the original on 24 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  7. ^ "Introduction to Constitution of India". Ministry of Law and Justice of India. 29 July 2008. Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2008.
  8. ^ Swaminathan, Shivprasad (26 January 2013). "India's benign constitutional revolution". The Hindu: Opinion. Archived from the original on 1 March 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  9. ^ Das, Hari (2002). Political System of India (Reprint ed.). New Delhi: Anmol Publications. p. 120. ISBN 978-8174884961.
  10. ^ "Aruna Roy & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors" (PDF). Supreme Court of India. 12 September 2002. p. 18/30. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  11. ^ "Preamble of the Constitution of India" (PDF). Ministry of Law & Justice. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  12. ^ Malhotra, G. C. (September 2000). "The Parliament Estate" (PDF). The Journal of Parliamentary Information. XLVI (3): 406. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.