The Indian Constitution and Its Crucial Facts that You Should Know
Introduction
India is the second-highest populated country and the 7th largest in terms of area in the world. It has a rich history that depicts the rise and downfall of many empires. It led to the foundation of the world’s largest democracies with the formation of the Constitution of India. Being the largest democracy, the constitution has been framed in a very liberal way depicting various facts about India.
It was formulated and adopted on November 26th 1949. It was on November 26th 1950 when the Constitution of India was adopted by the first Government of India. Here is a list of facts about the Constitution of India that will amaze you and make you feel proud.
The Stepping Stone of the World’s Largest Democracy
There is no doubt that the Indian Constitution has been framed to serve as the vertebral column of Indian Democracy. It dictates the code of conduct and the rights of all Indians living in this country.
The importance of the Indian Constitution can be seen in the structures and code of ethics followed in politics, procedures, power, rights and duties of everyone living in this country. This elaborate document declares sovereignty, secularism, and democracy.
It also explains how the law should be unbiased for all and should deliver justice with the same meaning. This is where Dr. B. R. Ambedkar explained that no matter how much a constitution can be good, it all depends on the ones who are using it. The implementation of a constitution will define its importance and value.
The Constitution of India
Also Read: Celebrating National Science Day
Important Facts about the Constitution of India
1. National Constitution Day
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, declared on November 19th 2015 that November 26th will be celebrated as National Constitution Day. It is a tribute to the father of our Constitution, Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar.
2. M. N. Roy’s Suggestion was to Develop a Constitution
It was M. N. Roy who suggested the formation of a constitution, a book of code and ethics that should define the procedures, code of conduct, and ethics on all grounds in India. He proposed this idea in 1934 and was made official by the Indian National Congress in 1935.
3. The Father of the Indian Constitution
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, who has written our Indian Constitution, belonged to an untouchable family and was exposed to discrimination. He used 9 languages fluently and mastered 64 subjects. It was he who introduced equal rights for all natives in India. He also introduced various acts and laws regarding women's rights in the Indian Constitution.
4. Bag of Borrowings
This term is used to signify the Indian Constitution as a conglomeration of various provisions taken from different constitutions in the world. This criticism has been a big topic and many consider that our constitution is merely a copy or a modification of the provisions. Here is a list of countries’ constitutions that have implications for the world's largest Constitution.
Great Britain – Rule of Law, parliamentary government, legislative procedure, single citizenship, cabinet system, etc.
The United States of America – functions and impeaches the president, function of the vice president, removal of judges from the Supreme and High Courts, judicial review, judiciary independence, and fundamental rights.
The Soviet Union or Present Russia – fundamental duties and the ideals of political, social, and economical justice.
Canada – India’s federalism’s centrifugal form where the centre holds more power than states, vesting residual power to the centre, etc.
Ireland – State policies and their directive principles, election method of presidents, etc.
There are many other implications we can find in the interesting facts of the Indian Constitution showing that our Constitution has been inspired by the constitutions of many countries.
5. Writer of the Indian Constitution
You will be surprised to know that this huge document has been written, not printed. It was Prem Behari Narain Raizada who patiently wrote the entire document with his own hands. It was his calligraphy in English and Hindi that can be seen on the Constitution information of the original document published in Dehradun. It took almost 3 years to finally draft the Indian Constitution in its final form.
6. Decoration of all the Pages
The unique features of the Indian Constitution that can be seen on every page are designed by the artists of Shantiniketan. Among the famous names, Nandalal Bose and Behar Rammanohar Sinha were the epitomes of this team. This institute of fine arts was established by Rabindranath Tagore in Bengal.
7. Longest and Largest Constitution in the World
Our Constitution is the largest, as well as, the longest in the world. It comprises about 146,385 words. It has 444 articles segmented into 22 parts, and 12 schedules with 118 amendments to date. You will be surprised that the shortest one has only 3814 words and it belongs to Monaco.
8. Number of Amendments Made in the First Draft
You will be surprised to know that more than 2000 amendments were made in the first draft of the Indian Constitution. It also replaced the Government of India Act 1935 and led to the foundation of the Republic of India from the Dominion of India.
More Facts about the Indian Constitution
Among the unbelievable facts about India, you will be surprised to know that Dr. Ambedkar wanted to burn the constitution. He explained that he will be the first one to burn it if it does wrong to the minor communities in India.
This list of facts explains the speciality of the Indian Constitution. It is also one of the most debated documents in Indian history. Our Constitution is also the reason for inspiration among many other countries to practise secular governance.
