Have you ever wondered? While the U.S. Constitution has 7 articles, the Australian Constitution has 128 articles, the Chinese Constitution has 130 articles, and the Canadian Constitution has 147 articles… our Indian Constitution started in 1949 with 395 articles, 22 parts, and 8 schedules, and today has around 448 articles, 25 parts, and 12 schedules, making it the world’s longest written constitution.
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Constitutions can be classified as written and unwritten. For example, the U.S. Constitution is a clear example of a written constitution, while the British Constitution is an example of an unwritten one. The Indian Constitution, however, stands out as longer, more comprehensive, extensive, and detailed than any other constitution in the world.
There are four reasons for the uniqueness of the Indian Constitution: vast geographical area, influence of historical laws, a single constitution for both center and states, and the dominance of legal experts in the Constituent Assembly. It provides not only government procedures but also citizens’ rights, duties, and administrative requirements.
The 42nd Amendment in 1976 is remembered as the “Mini Constitution.” This constitutional amendment brought changes to several parts of the Constitution. However, in the Kesavananda Bharati case (Kesavananda Bharati vs. State of Kerala) in 1973, the Supreme Court ruled that although Parliament has the power to amend the Constitution under Article 368, it cannot alter the “basic structure” of the Constitution.
Until 2019, the former state of Jammu and Kashmir had its own constitution. In 2019, through Presidential Orders, Article 370 was revoked, removing its special status, and Jammu and Kashmir was reorganized into two Union Territories: Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
This Constitution is not just a set of rules; it is the heartbeat of India. How many more amendments will come in the future, and how will they change our lives?
📢 Which aspect of the Indian Constitution fascinates you the most?
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