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70 Years of Indian Years of Indian
Constitution
Constitution
The Constituent Assembly had members from almost Sinha and K.M Munshi were members. B.N Rau was
all sections of the society: Parsis, Anglo Indians, Indian brought in as the Constitutional Advisor. They were
the architects of the Indian Constitution. The Assembly
Christians, Member of the Scheduled Tribes and women had members from almost all sections of the society:
under the general category. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Parsis, Anglo Indians, Indian Christians, Member of
leader of the Hindu Mahasabha, was also a member. the Scheduled Tribes and women under the general
category. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, leader of the
positive demand for a Constituent Assembly elected Hindu Mahasabha, was also a member. All sections
under adult suffrage. That is the very cornerstone of of the society were adequately represented in the
Congress policy today and our election campaign must Assembly, which was diverse and fully pluralistic,
be based on it. This Assembly must not be conceived reflecting the character of the nation.
as something emanating from the British Government I must also record the enormous contribution of the
or as compromise with the British imperialism. If it is to Indian National Congress (INC) to India’s freedom
have a reality, it must have the will of the people behind struggle and its emergence as a nation-state. It is
it and the organized strength of the masses to support largely through its efforts that political and economic
it, and the power to draw up the Constitution of a free institutions were set up and democracy struck roots in
India. We have to create that mass support for it through the newly independent country.
these elections and later through our other activities.” The Constitution of India is the world's lengthiest
The Constituent Assembly comprised of members from Constitution with 25 parts, 448 articles and 12 schedules.
all parts of the country. The strength of the Constituent There are 104 amendments that have been made in the
Assembly was 389, of which 292 were representatives Indian Constitution up to January 25, 2020. The very first
of the states, 93 represented the princely states and amendment was made in 1950. The Constitution of India
four were from the chief commissioner provinces of is the supreme law of the land. It frames fundamental
Delhi, Ajmer-Merwara, Coorg and British Baluchistan. political principles, procedures, practices, rights,
However, as a result of the Partition, the membership of powers, and duties of the government. It establishes
the Indian Constituent Assembly was reduced to 299. It Constitutional supremacy and not Parliamentary
was chaired by Dr. B.R Ambedkar. supremacy, as it is created not by the Parliament but
Care was taken to ensure that citizens of the highest by a Constituent Assembly, and adopted by its people,
talent and calibre such as Dr. Ambedkar, M.R Jayakar, with a declaration in its Preamble. Parliament cannot
A.K. Ayyar, H.N Kunzru, N.G. Ayyangar, Sachidanand override the Constitution. In the Kesavananda Bharathi
50 70 Years of Indian Constitution
