An Introduction to the Indian Constitution
The Indian constitution is the primary law enforcing book in our nation. It consists of all the laws in the form of articles. The making of the constitution took almost 3 years, it was made after multiple rounds of discussions and debates. A constitution drafting committee was formed which consisted of people from different socio-economic backgrounds to make the constitution diverse and give every community an equal say. The committee was headed by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
When was the Indian Constitution Made?
In December 1946 the committee elected for drafting the constitution met at a constituent assembly to draft the constitution. The process started in December 1946. However, to draft a constitution for a country as big as India, it'd take a lot of time. This is because everyone's opinion must be taken into consideration and the constitution mustn't be biased towards a religious, economic, or social group. The committee discussed various aspects and introspected the problems that our country might face in the future. After discussions and debates, the constitution’s drafting was finally completed in the year 1949. The constitution was finally adopted on 26 January 1950. Today, we celebrate 26 January as republic day in order to commemorate the adoption of the constitution.
Who was the First President of the Constituent Assembly?
The constituent assembly needed a President in order to proceed in an orderly fashion. Dr. Sachidanand Sinha was chosen as the president after his name surfaced when the members of the constituent assembly were asked to propose a chair for the constituent assembly. Dr. Sachidanand Sinha was one of the oldest members of the constituent assembly and hence he became the first president of the constituent assembly.
Making of the Constitution
July 1946
After repeated protests and retributions, The British government finally decided to grant India its independence. However, the British said that they shall stay and govern the country until an interim governance structure is formed. This was a huge achievement for the Indians as the British had finally decided to return the Indian territory back to the Indians after ruling it and exploiting it for almost 200 years.
December 1946
9 th December 1946 is one of the most important dates of Indian history, on this date, the constituent assembly met for the very first time. This date marks the inception of the mission towards making the Indian constitution. The committee met with a mission to frame an unbiased constitution that takes care of the interests of the minorities.
August 28, 1947
Just about 10 days after independence, the country lay in a state of chaos due to the partition. Muslims from India and Hindus from Pakistan migrated to Pakistan and India respectively. This migration came at the cost of mass bloodshed and riots. To put things in place, the pace at which the constitution was being drafted had to increase. Hence, on 28th august 1947, Dr. BR Ambedkar was elected as the head of the constitution drafting committee.
November 4, 1947
After Dr. BR Ambedkar became the chief of the drafting committee, the committee went right back to the roots to learn more about the kinds of rules to put in place. The committee referred to the Government of India Act, 1935. After working on it for about 141 days, the committee came up with its first draft of the constitution on the 4th of November 1947. Further the committee sessions took place when they met in the constituent assembly 166 times over a period of 2 years. These meetings were also open to the common public.
January 24, 1950
After 3 years of hard work, discussions, debates, and conflicts the constituent assembly came up with the final draft of the constitution. The 308 members made 616 signatures on both the English and the Hindi draft of the Indian constitution.
January 26, 1950
2 days after the signatures were made, the Indian constitution was officially adopted by the Republic of India. It was in fact the longest written constitution in the world, it incorporated 8 Schedules, 395 Articles as well as 22 Parts. The constitution was put into immediate effect across every corner of the country. The president of Indonesia during the period, Sukarno was invited as the chief guest for the first republic day celebration in 1950. Today, the original copies of the Indian constitution are preserved and kept in helium inflated glass cases in the library of the parliament house.
Conclusion
Therefore, we can say that the Indian Constitution is a framework which governs the country and in order to make it more detailed, the founding fathers took a number of months in order to complete it so that the future generations do not face any issues and even left space for future amendments as per the requirements of the country.
FAQs on Making of Indian Constitution
1. What was the Constituent Assembly, and what was its primary role in building the nation?
The Constituent Assembly of India was a body of indirectly elected representatives set up in 1946 to draft the Constitution for a newly independent India. Its primary role was to create a foundational legal and political framework that would govern the country. This involved detailed discussions and debates to establish a democratic republic and ensure justice, liberty, and equality for all its citizens, as outlined in the Preamble of the Constitution.
2. Who were the key figures responsible for drafting the Indian Constitution?
While the Constitution was a collective effort of the entire Constituent Assembly, some key figures played pivotal roles. These include:
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad: The President of the Constituent Assembly, who presided over the sessions.
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: The Chairman of the Drafting Committee, who is widely regarded as the chief architect of the Constitution.
- Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: Chaired several crucial committees on fundamental rights and provincial matters.
- Jawaharlal Nehru: Moved the historic 'Objectives Resolution', which laid down the philosophical foundations of the Constitution.
3. Why is Dr. B.R. Ambedkar known as the 'Father of the Indian Constitution'?
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar is called the 'Father of the Indian Constitution' primarily for his role as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee. He was instrumental in guiding the draft through the Assembly, explaining complex provisions, and reconciling conflicting viewpoints. His profound legal expertise and commitment to social justice, especially in abolishing untouchability and ensuring fundamental rights for marginalised communities, shaped the core of the document. You can learn more about his contributions in this essay on Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
4. What was the 'Objectives Resolution' and why is it important?
The 'Objectives Resolution' was a declaration moved by Jawaharlal Nehru on December 13, 1946. It laid down the guiding principles and philosophy for the constitution-makers. It declared India as an Independent Sovereign Republic and outlined its aims to secure justice, equality, and freedom for all citizens. This resolution was highly significant as its modified version eventually became the Preamble to the Indian Constitution, serving as its introduction and moral compass.
5. How did the Constituent Assembly ensure that diverse voices from all over India were heard?
The Constituent Assembly ensured representation for India's diverse population through several mechanisms:
- Representation from Provinces: Members were elected by provincial legislative assemblies, representing different regions.
- Inclusion of Communities: Political parties made a conscious effort to nominate members from all major religious groups, including Sikhs, Muslims, and Christians, as well as from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
- Debate and Consensus: The Assembly functioned through a process of thorough discussion and debate. Every clause was scrutinised, and decisions were typically made based on broad consensus rather than a simple majority vote, ensuring minority opinions were considered.
6. Why did it take nearly three years to finalise the Indian Constitution?
The process of making the Indian Constitution took 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days for several important reasons. The framers aimed to create a comprehensive document that addressed India's immense diversity. They studied the constitutions of various countries to adopt the best features. Furthermore, the trauma of Partition and the challenge of integrating over 500 princely states required careful and deliberate planning. The extensive debates on each article ensured that the final document was robust, inclusive, and built on consensus.
7. What is the difference between the 'adoption' and the 'commencement' of the Constitution?
The 'adoption' and 'commencement' of the Constitution refer to two different key dates.
- Adoption (Enactment): The Constitution was adopted on November 26, 1949. On this day, the Constituent Assembly passed and signed the final draft. Some provisions, like those on citizenship, came into force immediately.
- Commencement (Coming into Force): The Constitution fully commenced or came into force on January 26, 1950. This date was chosen to commemorate the Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence) declaration of 1930 and marks the day India officially became a sovereign republic. This day is celebrated as Republic Day.
8. What were the biggest challenges the Constituent Assembly faced during its work?
The Constituent Assembly faced formidable challenges while framing the Constitution. The most significant ones included:
- The Partition of India: The division of the country led to unprecedented violence and created a difficult atmosphere for nation-building.
- Integration of Princely States: Persuading over 500 independent princely states to join the Indian Union was a monumental diplomatic and political task.
- Socio-Economic Diversity: Crafting a single legal framework that could accommodate the vast linguistic, religious, and cultural diversity of India and address deep-seated issues like caste discrimination was a major challenge.
