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SalientfeaturesofIndianConstitutionGeneralKnowledgeToday

SalientfeaturesofIndianConstitution
March10,2013

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MostExhaustiveConstitution:
Originally our constitution contained 395 articles divided in 22 parts and 8 schedules. The
numberingstillremainsthesamebutasandwhentheconstitutionamended,newarticleswere
addedwithsuffixA,B,Cetc.Forexample,whenourconstitutionwasamendedforadjustingthe
RighttoEducation,anewArticle21AwasinsertedbelowArticle21.So,todayourconstitution
hasthefollowing:
25Parts
12Schedules
448Articles
Tillthedateofwritingthismodule,ConstitutionofIndiahasbeenamendedfor97
times.
The above figures make our constitution the most comprehensive constitution in the world. Here we should
also note that the British have no written constitution and Constitution of USA had originally only 7 articles.
This 7 article Constitution of United States has been amended for 27 times up till now. The first 10
amendments
called

are

Bill

Rights.

of
The

constitutionofCanada
had

147

articles;

Constitution
Australia

had

of
128

articles, when they

wereenacted.
Our

Constitution

starts

with

Preamble:
Indian Constitution has a preamble which gives aninsight into the Philosophy of the Constitution.Please
note that Preamble is a Part of Indian Constitution. Initially the Preamble was not considered a part of the
Constitution and its amendment was not accepted. In kesavanand Bharti v/s state of Kerala 1973 case the
SupremeCourtruledthatitisapartoftheconstitutionandcanbeamended.
Ourconstitutionhasbeendrawnfromdifferentsources:
Our constitution has borrowed many things from many constitutions. It was called plagiarism by many. But,
hereweneedtolookintowhatDr.BRAmbedkar,ThechairmanoftheDraftingCommitteeoftheConstitutional
Assemblysaidinthiscontext:
AstotheaccusationthattheDraftConstitutionhas[re]producedagoodpartoftheprovisionsofthe
Government of India Act, 1935,I make no apologies. There is nothing to be ashamed of in
borrowing.Itinvolvesnoplagiarism.Nobodyholdsanypatentrightsinthefundamentalideasofa
Constitution.
Yes,ourconstitutionhasborrowedgoodthingsfromtheGovernmentofIndiaAct1935and other contemporary
constitutionsoftheworld.Thebestprovisionswereselectedfromdifferentsourcesandweshouldnotbeashamed
ofthat.
This was something which is agreed by most of us. Nobody holds copyright on ideas of constitution and our
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foundingfatherschosetoincorporatewhattheyfoundmostsuitableinthosedays.
Rigidityvs.Flexibility:
Our constitution is rigid as well as flexible. Here you must note that in India and also many other
countries, making Law is quite flexible and easy in comparison to amending a law. The amendment of the
constitutionisoneofthemostdifficultlawsmakingprocessinIndia.
SovereigntyoftheCountry:
The Preamble of the constitution declares that India is a sovereign state. It manages its internal and external
affairsfreelywithoutanyexternalforces.
Democraticstate:
India is a democratic country where governing power is derived from the people by means of elected
representatives of the people. The political authority is responsible to the people. This democracy is based
uponthesocioeconomicjusticeandequalityoftheopportunity.
Republic:
IndiahasadoptedtheBritishpatternoftheparliamentarydemocracy.Butthereisabigdifference.WhileinUK,
theQueenorMonarchisthehereditaryheadofthestate,IndiadoesnothaveahereditarypostofHeadofthe
State.TheHeadofthestateinIndiaisPresidentandhe/sheiselected.Thoughpeopledontdirectlytakepart
inelectionofthePresidentofIndia,yetIndianPresidentisindirectlyelectedbythepeople,becausehe/sheis
elected by the elected representatives. Any Indian without discrimination to the caste / creed / religion can
contest for Presidential elections and can occupy the office, provided he fulfils the eligibility conditions as
prescribedbytheconstitution.ThemeaningoftheRepublicisthatHeadofthestateiselectedbythepeople.
TheheadofthestateisNOTamonarchinIndia.
SocialistState:
Indian socialism is democratic socialism. The goals of the socialism are to be realized through democratic
means.PleasenotethatintheoriginalconstitutionthetermSocialistwasnotinthePreamble.Itwasadded
bythe42ndamendmentin1976.
Secular:
India is secular country. Here No religion is a state religion. The constitution provides equality treatment of al
religionsbythegovernmentandequalopportunitiesforallreligions.Again,thetermsecularwasnotinthe
Preamble.Itwasaddedbythe42ndamendmentin1976.
ParliamentaryFormofGovernment:
IndiahasaparliamentaryformofGovernment.Thequestioniswhatisagovernment?Andwhatitismadeup
of?TheparliamentarysystemmeansthattheministersgettheirlegitimacyfromaLegislaturebodythat is
the Parliament of India. Our parliament has two houses viz. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. So, its called
bicameral parliament. Part V of the Constitution trifurcates the State into three equal constituents, the
Executive,LegislatureandJudiciary.ThecompositionoftheLegislature,theParliamentofIndia,isofmembers
elected by adult suffrage in the case of the Lok Sabha, and indirectly by the State Legislatures in case of Rajya
Sabha.
The Lok Sabha seats are divided into territorial constituencies and each elected member becomes the
representative of all the people residing in his constituency and registered in the electoral roll of that
constituency. Each Member of Parliament then acts in the House on behalf of all his constituents and that is
whyIndiaisarepresentativedemocracy.
This is in contrast with the United States of America, which is a presidential form of democracy. The
presidentialsystemoperatesunderastricterseparationofpowerswherebytheexecutivedoesnotformpart
of,norisappointedby,theparliamentaryorlegislativebody.Insuchasystem,congressesdonotselector
dismiss heads of governments, and governments cannot request an early dissolution as may be the case for
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parliaments.
InIndia,thegovernmentpowerisexercisedbythePrimeMinisterandtheCouncilofMinisterswhocollectively
enjoytheconfidenceoftheHouseandwhoadvisethePresidentonhowtheexecutivepowersoftheUnionwill
be exercised. The moment the House loses confidence in government the Prime Minister and the Council of
Ministersmustresignandthegovernmentwouldfall.
However,inthepresidentialformofdemocracythePresidentisdirectlyelectedbythepeopleandneitherhenorhis
cabinetisresponsibletotheHouseofRepresentatives,thelowerhouseintheAmericanCongressorParliament.
InfactintheUnitedStatesacabinetmembercannotbeamemberofeitherHouseofCongress.InUS,thebalance
of power is established by the Legislature through its functions of legislation and approving the budget, but by
itself Congress cannot either dismiss the cabinet nor remove the President except through the process of
impeachment.InIndia,whichfollowstheWestminstermodel,legislationitselfisinitiatedbygovernmentand
becausetheCouncilofMinistersiscollectivelyresponsibletoParliament,theExecutiveandtheLegislatureare
intertwinedinthematteroflegislativebusiness.BecausegovernmentenjoysamajorityintheHousethePrime
MinistercananddoesinfluencewhatgoesoninParliament,whetherinthematerofthebudget,legislationor
debate. To that extent the Executive embodied by the Prime Minister can override the checks and balances
betweentheLegislatureandExecutive,whichareafeatureoftheAmericanConstitution.
Theabovediscussionmakesitclearthatthecouncilofministersisresponsibletothelowerofparliamenti.e.Lok
SabhahereinIndiaThismeansthatifthegovernmentlosestheconfidenceinLokSabhaithastogo.
ConfidenceoftheHouseisreflectedinexistence/continuanceofmajoritysupportwhetheritbeofasingleparty
orofacoalitionofparties.Ifitsacoalition,itmanyatimesbecomesacauseforpoliticalinstability.Asweread
above,inpresidentialdemocracies,theHeadofGovernment,thePresidentisdirectlyelectedbythepeopleand
cannotberemovedfromofficeexceptincircumstancesofhighcrimesandmisdemeanourestablishedthrough
impeachment process. Hence, Presidential democracies provide stable governance. That is the reason that
manyatimes,aquestionhasbeenpubliclydebatedoftenthatshould India opt for a Presidential form of
Government?
ThisisnotpossiblebecauseParliamentaryformisabasicfeatureoftheConstitution,asheldbytheSupremeCourt,
legalproblemsmightariseinswitchovertoanyotherform.Then,themeritsofParliamentarysystemarewhat
make it suitable for India. In our country, the Parliament is in a position to keep the Prime Minister and his
MinistersunderconstantvigilthroughitsoversightmechanismsandmanyothertoolssuchasQuestionHour,
AdjournmentMotions,CallingAttentionNotices,debates,ConfidenceandNoConfidenceMotions,Scrutinyof
budgetanditsimplementation,publicaccountsauditetc.
AblendofFederalandUnitarySystem
TheconstitutionofIndiaestablishesthecountryapartlyfederalandpartlyunitarygovernment.Indiaisafederal
system because there are separate governments in the Union and States and there is division of power. But,
thereareconstitutionalprovisionsandpracticeswhichhaveimpartedunitaryfeaturesbygivingmorepowers
tothecentre.Someofthemare
ItprovidesSingleCitizenshiptoallthecitizensofthecountry;ithassingleconstitutionforboththecentre
andstates,thoughJammu&Kashmirhasaseparateconstitution.
TheparliamenthaspowertolegislateonthemattersincludedintheUnionListaswellasthestatelist.
Thereareemergencyprovisionswhichmakethesystemvirtuallyaunitarysystem.TheChangeinthenames
andboundariesofthestatescanbedonebytheparliamentofIndia.
Thereisanintegraljudiciarysystem.
ThereareallIndiaservicessuchasIAS,IFSandIPS.TheGovernorsofthestatesareagentsofthePresident.
Thereisanelectioncommissionwhichiscentralagencyforelectionsatalllevels.
ThereisunequalrepresentationofthestatesincouncilofStates(RajyaSabha).

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ThePlanneddevelopmentofthewholecountryisresponsibilityoftheplanningCommission.
Thestatesaredependentoncenterforeconomicassistanceandgrants.

IntegratedJudiciary:
In United States there are separate
JudicialsystemsfortheUnionandthe
states. In India the Judiciary is
integrated. The supreme judicial
courts are not in states. The states
have high courts but the verdicts of
these courts are subject to appeal to the Supreme Court. The Constitution has made the High Courts
subordinatetotheSupremeCourt.
UniversalAdultFranchise:
Indianconstitutionprovidesadultanduniversalfranchisetoallcitizens.Everycitizenwhoisabove18yearshas
aVotingRightwithoutanydiscrimination.

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