November 26 is observed as National Constitution Day or Samvidhan Diwas or National Law Day every year to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India. The Constitution of India was adopted on 26 November, 1949 and came into force on 26 November 1950. Among many, here are 22 unknown facts about the Constitution of India that you will feel surprised to know.
National Constitution Day was not celebrated prior to 2015. On November 19, 2015, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment notified the government’s decision to celebrate November 26 as National Constitution Day every year to promote Constitutional values among citizens and also a mark of tribute to Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar. There is much more you should know about your Constitution.
National Constitution Day 2021
This year the Constitution Day will be celebrated in the central hall of Parliament as Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav which will be presided by President Ram Nath Kovind. It is marked as the 72nd anniversary of the historic event that gave birth to a new and republic India.
About Constitution
The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India which lays down the framework demarcating fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens.
The document declares India a sovereign, socialist, secular and democratic republic, assures its citizens justice, equality, and liberty, and endeavors to promote fraternity.
“However good a Constitution may be, if those who are implementing it are not good, it will prove to be bad. However bad a Constitution may be, if those implementing it are good, it will prove to be good,” Dr. BR Ambedkar
Further mentioned 22 fun facts about Indian Constitution that everyone should know about will help you know it more.
22 Interesting Facts About Constitution Of India
On this National Constitution Day, we want to make you aware about the significance of the Indian Constitution. The below mentioned 22 interesting facts about the Constitution of India will help you discover what is unique about the Indian Constitution.
1 — Who Suggested Indian Constitution?
M.N. Roy was the first to propose the idea of forming a Constituent Assembly in 1934 which eventually became an official demand of the National Congress in 1935.
2 — Bag Of Borrowings
The Constitution of India is also known as the “bag of borrowings” as it has borrowed provisions from the Constitutions of various countries. It was drafted according to historical perspective, geographical diversity, cultural and traditional characteristics of India.
List Of Countries and Borrowed Features in Indian Constitution
From Constitution of Britain —
- Parliamentary government
- Rule of Law
- Legislative procedure
- Single citizenship
- Cabinet system
- Prerogative writs
- Parliamentary privileges
- Bicameralism
From Constitution of the United States Of America —
- Impeachment of the president
- Functions of president and vice-president
- Removal of Supreme Court and High court judges
- Fundamental Rights
- Judicial review
- Independence of judiciary
- The preamble of the constitution
From Soviet Constitution of USSR (New Russia) —
- Fundamental duties
- The ideals of justice (social, economic, and political), expressed in the Preamble.
From Constitution of Canada —
- Centrifugal form of federalism where the Centre is stronger than the states.
- Residuary powers vested with the Centre
- Centre appoints the Governors at the states
- Advisory jurisdiction of the supreme court
From Constitution of Ireland —
- Directive Principles of State Policy
- Method of Election of the president
- Members nomination to the Rajya Sabha by the President
From Constitution of France —
- Concept of “Republic”
- Ideals of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity(contained in the Preamble)
From Weimar Constitution of Germany —
- Suspension of Fundamental Rights during Emergency
From Constitution of South Africa —
- Election of members of the Rajya Sabha
- Amendment of the Constitution
From Constitution of Japan —
- Concept of “procedure established by Law”
3 — Who Wrote India’s Constitution?
The Constitution of India is neither printed nor typed. It is handwritten and calligraphed in both Hindi and English. It was handwritten by Prem Behari Narain Raizada and was published in Dehradun by him.
4 — Every Page Decorated By Shantiniketan Artists
Shantiniketan artists including Beohar Rammanohar Sinha and Nandalal Bose have decorated every page of the handwritten Indian Constitution. Shantiniketan is a path-breaking educational institution Rabindranath Tagore set up in rural Bengal in the early twentieth century.
5 — Which Is the Longest Constitution In The World?
Do you know which country has the largest Constitution of India? Besides being known for the largest democracy in the world, India is also known for having the longest Constitution in the world. 117,369 words make it the largest Constitution in the world. On the other hand, Monaco has the shortest Constitution with 3,814 words.
6 — Constitution Preservation In Special Cases
Do you know where is Constitution of India is preserved? The original copies of the Constitution of India are preserved in the special helium-filled cases in the Library of the Parliament of India.
7 — Total Expenditure of ₹6.4 million
The document finally came to force with a total expenditure of ₹6.4 million.
8 — How Much Time Did It Take To Form The Constitution Of India?
Precisely speaking, it took 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days to complete the final draft.
9 — 2000 Amendments In First Draft
As many as 2000 amendments were made to the first draft.
10 — From 395 Articles in 1950 to 470 Articles in 2021
The Constitution was accepted and signed by 284 signatories of the Constituent Assembly. At the time of the last Constituent Assembly meeting on January 24, 1950, the document had 395 Articles, 8 Schedules, and 22 Parts.
How many Articles are there in Indian Constitution?
Currently, there are 470 articles, grouped in 25 parts with 12 schedules and five appendices. Till now, 104 amendments have been made to the Constitution of India.
11 — Constitution Replaced Government Of India Act, 1935
Government of India Act, 1935 forms the basis of the Indian Constitution. With the Constitution replacing the GOI Act as the country’s fundamental governing document, the Dominion of India became the Republic of India.
12 — National Emblem Adopted
The national emblem, The Lion Capital Of Ashoka was adopted on January 26, 1950. The 4 Asiatic lions symbolize power, courage, pride, and confidence.
13 — Who Is Known As The Father Of Indian Constitution?
Dr. Bhim Ram Ambedkar is regarded as the chief architect of the Indian Constitution and is also known as the father of the Constitution of India. He is the one who made Constitution of India. He studied the Constitution of about 60 countries.
14 — Why Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar Wanted To Burn Constitution?
“It is by placating the sentiments of smaller communities and smaller people who are afraid that the majority may do wrong, that the British Parliament works. Sir, my friends tell me that I have made the Constitution. But I am quite prepared to say that I shall be the first person to burn it out. I do not want it. It does not suit anybody. But whatever that may be, if our people want to carry on, they must not forget that there are majorities and there are minorities, and they simply cannot ignore the minorities by saying, “Oh, no. To recognize you is to harm democracy.” I should say that the greatest harm will come by injuring minorities,” said dr. Ambedkar in Rajya Sabha on 2 September 1953
15 — Right To Vote For Women
It was only after the enforcement of the Constitution of India that Indian women got the right to vote.
16 — 42nd Amendment and Preamble
The 42nd amendment led to the incorporation of the words ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ Preamble in 1976, during the emergency.
The “Objective Resolution” which later became the “Preamble of The Constitution” was presented by Jawaharlal Nehru. It laid down the underlying principles of the Constitution.
17 — What Is The 104th Amendment In Indian Constitution?
The latest amendment, the 104th amendment became effective on January 25, 2020. This amendment extended the deadline for the cessation for the reservation of seats for members from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies by a period of 10 years. The reservation was set to expire on 26 January 2020 as per the 95th amendment in the Constitution of India.
18 — Who Signed First Indian Constitution?
Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India became the first person to sign the Constitution of India. On the other hand, Feroze Gandhi, the then President of the Constituent Assembly was the last one to sign it.
19 — What Is Called the Heart And Soul Of Indian Constitution?
Article 32 is considered as the “heart and soul of the Constitution of India”. It talks about the Right To Constitutional Remedies.
20 — What Is Known As Mini Constitution?
The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976 is also known as the “Mini Constitution” as it is one of the most important amendments to the Indian Constitution. It has brought a number of amendments.
21 — What Is The Magna Carta Of Indian Constitution?
Part lll is known as the Magna Carta of Constitution Of India. Magna Carta is the Charter of Rights issued by King John of England in 1215. It is the first written document in connection to fundamental rights of citizens.
22 — Who Is The Final Arbiter Of Indian Constitution?
The judiciary, Supreme Court is the final arbiter and interpreter of the Constitution of India and constitutional amendments.
Conclusion
In the end, we have a question for you. How many of you were aware of these 22 amazing facts about the Indian Constitution? There is much you should know about your Constitution, its history, and significance. After reading these unknown and GK facts about Indian Constitution, we hope you’ll be more proud of the work and efforts that were done to frame it.
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This article is written by Varsha. You can reach out to the author via email at bnbvarsha@gmail.com.
