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Constitution
of India
The country attained freedom on 15 August 1947. The Constitution of
the Republic came into effect on 26 January 1950. It was drawn up by
a Constituent Assembly initially summoned on December 9, 1946. A
draft of the Constitution was published in February 1948. The
Constitution was finally adopted for 26 November 1949. It came into
effect on 26 January 1950.
The Preamble of the
Constitution reads as follows:
We, the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute
India into a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic
and to secure to all its citizens:
Justice, social, economic and political; Liberty of thought,
expression, belief, faith and worship;
Equality of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them
all.
Fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity
and integrity of the Nation; in our constituent assembly this
twenty-sixth of November, 1949, do hereby adopt, enact and give to
ourselves this Constitution. The
Indian Constitution closely follows the the British Parliamentary
model, but differs from it in one important respect that is, the
Constitution is supreme, not the Parliament. So the Indian courts
are vested with the authority to adjudicate on the constitutionality
of any law passed by the Indian Parliament.
The methods for amendment of the Constitution are three according
to the subject matter of the Article concerned.
- Articles that may be amended by
a simple majority of Parliament. These are matters of detail,
like those provided in the Schedules.
- Articles that may be amended by
two thirds majority of bot houses. These are comparatively
important matters.
- Articles that require not only
two-thirds majority of the Parliament but also ratification by
at least one-half of the State Legislatures.
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