Making of the Indian Constitution

Constituent Assembly: 

• To develop or adopt a new Constitution, a Constituent Assembly was formed. The concept of a Constituent Assembly means that people have the right to choose their future and the form and type of policy they want to live under
• From December 1946 until November 1949, the Indian Constitution was being prepared. It held eleven sessions and put in 165 days of serious labour throughout this time
• The Assembly voted and accepted the historic document –  independent India’s Constitution on November 26, 1949, and it went into effect on 2 January 26, 1950. The Constituent Assembly was supposed to have 389 members in all. Two hundred and ninety-two of them were to be elected from British India, with 93 representing the native state, as well as 4 members represented Chief Commissioners Provinces
• Members of the Constituent Assembly were elected indirectly by members of the existing Provincial Assemblies at the time. The princely states were also able to designate members. Seats were reserved on a communal basis for elected members
• Members of India’s Constituent Assembly representing districts including in Pakistan ceased to exist. As a result, just 229 of the 296 elected members remained as of December 31, 1947
• The members of Congress dominated the Constituent Assembly. Almost all of the leaders of the freedom struggle were members of the Congress’s Assembly. The Constituent Assembly had 229 members, with 192 belonging to the Congress, 29 to the Muslim League, one Akali, and seven independents
• Dr. Sachidanand presided over the Constituent Assembly’s first meeting. Dr Rajendra Prasad was later elected as the Constituent Assembly’s President
• The members of the Constituent Assembly were not chosen only based on their political affiliation; they came from all walks of life and represented nearly every segment of the Indian populace
• Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of Independent India, was the driving force behind the Assembly

Committees of the Constituent Assembly:

• Among the Constituent Assembly’s more than fifteen committees were the Drafting Committee,  the Union Constitution Committee, the Union Power Committee,  the Committee on Chief Commissioner’s Provinces, the Committee on Union Constitution Financial Provisions, the Advisory Committee on Minorities and Fundamental Rights, and the Advisory Committee on Tribal Areas. These committees presented findings to the Constituent Assembly between April and August 1948, which were taken into consideration. These choices were used to provide the ultimate shape and form by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and his colleagues in the Drafting Committee
• On August 29, 1947, the Constituent Assembly constituted a Drafting Committee to review the Draft Constitution. Its chairman was Dr B. R. Ambedkar, who was aided by a few other members
• The drafting committee, led by Dr B. R. Ambedkar, encapsulated the decisions of the Constituent Assembly, together with alternative and extra recommendations, in the form of a “Daft Constitution of India,” which was first published in February 1948. The draft committee finished the draft in less than six months

Objectives:

• Many political scholars argue that the Indian Constitution was written in the context of nearly two centuries of colonial rule, a mass-based freedom struggle, the national movement, the country’s partition, and a surge in intercommunal violence
• The Constitution’s framers were concerned about people’s ambitions, the country’s integrity and unity, and the formation of a democratic society. Members of the Constituent Assembly held a variety of ideological viewpoints. Some of them were socialists, while others stressed Gandhian values. Most of them agreed to give India a ‘Constitution’ which will fulfil the cherished ideals of the people
• As a result, deliberate attempts were made to reach a consensus on various subjects and concepts to avoid conflicts and controversies. On December 13, 1946, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru introduced the ‘Objective Resolution’ which was virtually overwhelmingly adopted on January 22, 1947 by the Constituent Assembly
• The Constituent Assembly finished its work on November 26, 1949, based on these ‘Objectives.’ On January 26, 1950, the Constitution went into effect. India became a republic on this auspicious day. The first independence day was marked on January 26, 1930, exactly twenty years ago, as approved by the Congress’s Lahore Session in December 1929. As a result, the 26th of January was chosen as the day on which the Indian Constitution would be put into effect
• In response to the aforementioned Resolution, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru stated, “‘Objective Resolution’ is more than a resolution.” It’s a proclamation, a solid resolution, a vow, an undertaking, and a dedication for all of us

Preamble: 

• The Preamble of the Constitution is restored, declaring India to be a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic. The Preamble also reaffirms the ideals of ensuring justice, liberty, and equality for all citizens, as well as the development of national unity and integrity based on fraternity among people and the assumption of individual dignity

Features:

• It is the world’s longest written Constitution
• The Constitution establishes a quasi-federal system with a strong central government. Between the Centre and the States, there is a class division of power. There is a single, independent and unified judicial system
• The Supreme Court of India is the country’s highest court. The Indian Constitution has some unitary aspects, such as a single constitution, single citizenship, all-India services, and a power allocation that favours the centre
• India has a Parliamentary government led by the Prime Minister, who is individually and collectively accountable to the Parliament

Conclusion

The Indian constitution serves as the basis for the government’s political ideals, procedures, and authorities. It is also the world’s longest constitution, with 395 articles and 12 schedules. In simpler terms, the constitution is Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic with a parliamentary administration. The Republic of India is governed by the Constitution of India, which was enacted by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949 and went into effect on January 26, 1950.