Page 12 - Constitution

70 Years of Indian Years of Indian

Constitution
Constitution

The Constitution combines a federal
ndeed, I deem it a great honour and feel privileged to
contribute this article expressing my vision of Indian structure consisting of a strong Centre,
IRepublic on the eve of Samvidhan Divas. States and lesser Union Territories with

India is one of the most diverse lands found anywhere parliamentary democracy and a Bill of
in the world with 29 states, each with their own unique Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles and
languages, traditions, and religion. The longest written the Preamble to guide the future
Constitution of India and its preamble glorifies the
the reason will not be that we had a bad Constitution.
rich heritage of the country. It was on the 26th day of
What we will have to say is that Man was vile." Such is
January, 1950 India became Secular, Democratic,
the workability of our Constitution and the truth behind
Republic and has gained specific significance in India's
those words still remains unchanged even after seven
entire existence by adopting the Constitution of India,
decades.
after a lot of deliberations, consultations and revisions by
The Constitution combines a federal structure consisting
luminaries for a period of two years and eleven months.
of a strong Centre, States and lesser Union Territories
with parliamentary democracy and a Bill of Fundamental
The word “Republic" signifies Power..., the power in
Rights, Directive Principles and the Preamble to guide
the hands of the citizen to choose their political pioneer
the future. One of its alarming provisions was the
to lead the nation. The Preamble of the Constitution itself
Centre altering the boundary and creating more States,
is a replica of Justice.
to accommodate linguistic and other diversities. The
The Preamble secures all its citizens Justice, social,
framers showed an uncompromising respect for human
economic and political, Liberty of thought, expression,
dignity, an unquestioning commitment to equality and
belief, faith and worship and Equality of status and
non-discrimination, and an abiding concern for the poor
opportunity and to promote fraternity in the unity and
and the weak.
integrity of the nation. With a comprehensive vision for
Since Independence, the country's constitutional
the future generations, the architects of the Constitution
history represents the tension between the democratic
drafted the Constitution.
and justice texts with hostility between Parliament and
Dr. Ambedkar, in his Republic day speech on 26th
the judiciary.
January, 1950 said, “I feel that the constitution is workable,
The Parliament kept using its power to amend the
it is flexible and it is strong enough to hold the country
Constitution to overrule the judiciary's decisions until
together both in peace and war times. Indeed, if I may
1973, when the Supreme Court declared that Parliament's
say so, if things go wrong under the new Constitution,
amending power could not violate the Constitution's

12 70 Years of Indian Constitution