Question

Why does a democratic country need a Constitution?

Answer 1

Hint: The process of evolution of the Indian Constitution started several decades ago during the struggle for independence but it was drafted and adopted post-independence. Under the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946, the elections to the Constituent Assembly were held in August 1946. The Drafting Committee was formally constituted after independence, which was then tasked with drafting the Constitution of free India. On Nov 26, 1949, the Constitution of India which comprised 395 articles and 8 schedules was formally adopted and on Jan 26, 1950, it came into effect.

Complete Step by Step answer:
For a country as diverse as India, to ensure responsible self-governance in place of colonial rule, there was a need to adopt and enact a written constitution that would serve as the highest law of the land and uphold the democratic spirit of the nation. The framers established in the Constitution both the nation’s ideals and the institutions and processes for achieving them. The federal arrangement created by the Constitution meets the basic normative requirements of federalism. At the same time, it also has certain specific additional and unitary features that make Indian federalism unique. There is a clear cut well-defined division of powers between the Union and state-level governments. This division of power is mentioned in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution which contains three lists with legislative subjects: Union List, State List and Concurrent List.

 Note: The Preamble serves as the brief introduction to the Constitution of India. It sets out the basic philosophy and values that our founding fathers believed to be the spirit of the nation. It begins with stating the very source of the Constitution “We, the people of India” and thus embodies the hopes and aspirations of the people as a whole.