The Constitution of India was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949 and came into effect on January 26, 1950. It draws from various indigenous and foreign sources such as the Government of India Act of 1935 as well as constitutions of the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Ireland. The Constitution establishes India as a sovereign socialist secular democratic republic with a parliamentary system of government. It has both federal and unitary features - executive and legislative powers are divided between the central and state governments, but the central government can take control in times of emergency. The Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to citizens and directive principles for policymaking.

1. Constitution of India

2.  India is a Sovereign Socialist Secular
Democratic Republic governed in terms
of constitution which was adopted by
the Constituent Assembly 0n 26th
November 1949 and came into force
from 26th January 1950.

3. Sources of Indian Constitution
• The sources of Indian constitution are diverse
• Sources of constitution are Indigenous and
foreign.
– 1918 Bombay Session of INC.
– 1928 Motilal Nehru Committee
– 1931 Karachi Congress
– 1935 Govt. of India Act.
It is also borrowed from the constitutions of
the United States Kingdom, the United
States of America, Canada and Ireland.

5. Salient features
1. It declares india as a Sovereign Socialist Secular
Democratic Public.
2. It establishes a parliamentary form of Govt.
3. The structure of the Govt. is Federal.
4. The govt. is federal in nominal times & unitary in
times of emergency.
5. Under certain circumstances, the Union
parliament can legislate in subjects included in
state list and can take over administration of a
state by declaring an emergency.
6. The executive and legislative powers have been
divided between the union and the states.

6. 7. Constitution provides a single Judiciary, a single
set of rights and obligations, single citizenship,
uniformity in criminal and civil laws, All India
Services etc.
8. Constitution provides to the citizens justice,
equality and fraternity.
9. It is the lengthiest constitution having 395
Articles and 12 schedules.
10. It is rigid constitution but certain amount of
flexibility has been allowed like amending its
articles.
11. It is written constitution.
12. Procedure has been laid down to amend the
provisions of the constitution.

7. 13. It guarantees fundamental rights to all citizens
and lays down directive principles of state policy
14. It abolishes untouchably and in certain cases,
provides reservations of seats for some minority
groups.
15. The doctrine of judicial review is a special
characteristics of the constitution.

8. Features of Constitution
• Federal Nature :
» Denotes concentration of authority in a central polity.
» It is the supreme authority
» It establishes division of sovereignty among states.
» The powers of union and states are clearly marked.
» The supreme court decides disputes between states or
state inter se.

9. • Unitary Features:
» In india there is single citizenship.
» State govt. has limited & enumerated powers.
» The union under certain circumstances exercise
power over the state govt.
» There is single judiciary.
» Supreme court’s interpretation is the final word.

10. “Constitution of India is neither
purely Federal nor purely unitary”

11. Thanks
Caarmel Institute of Management Studies
Ambadi.S