In Weimar’s Shadow: Emergency Powers and India’s Constitutional Design
The collapse of the Weimar Republic loomed large in the minds of India’s Constitution framers, who frequently cited Weimar as a cautionary tale.
How Did Princely State Constitutions Treat Their Kings?
In the final decade of colonial rule, India’s princely states—semi-sovereign regions under British paramountcy—faced an existential crisis. Pressured by the national movement and demands for self-rule, some rulers began drafting their own constitutions.
Should Courts Review Delimitation?
Earlier this month, on June 4, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced that the next Census will be conducted in 2027. Under Article 82 of the Constitution, parliamentary constituencies must be redrawn based on the latest Census, and a nationwide delimitation exercise is expected to follow.
When the U.S. Supreme Court Refused to Advise President George Washington
A 1793 diplomatic crisis tested the U.S. Supreme Court’s advisory role and helped shape separation of powers in the young republic
The Making of India’s Constitution
Watch this exclusive animated video that traces the long history of Indian constitution-making and highlights the radical constitutional choices made by the Indian Constituent Assembly.
Constituent Assembly Debates
Volume 7
36 DEBATES
04 Nov 1948 - 08 Jan 1949
Historical Constitutions
Political Demands of Scheduled Castes 1944 (SCF)
B.R Ambedkar, the founder of the All India Scheduled Castes Federation (SCF), appended this document to his 1945 book 'What the Congress and Gandhi have done to the Untouchables'. The document comprises a series of resolutions passed by the SCF's Working Committee that demanded constitutional protections for Schedules Caste community.
Search through Indian Constitutional History Archives
Explore the fascinating history of India's Constitution with our robust search engine. Our extensive database features meticulously tagged and edited primary materials from 1874 to 1950, including plenary debates and committee reports of the Indian Constituent Assembly, Historical Constitutions, and the Constitution of India 1950. With powerful search filters and sorting options, you can engage with these materials in exciting new ways that promote discovery, insight, and analysis around India's constitutional origins.
Explore how the Indian Constitution was made
STAGES
First Session of the Constituent Assembly
13 DEC 1946 - 22 JAN 1947
Committee Stages and Second Session of Constituent Assembly Debates
27 FEB 1947 - 30 AUG 1947
Draft Constitution by the Constitutional Adviser
01 FEB 1947 - 31 OCT 1947
First Draft Constitution
27 OCT 1947 - 21 FEB 1948
Public Circulation of First Draft
21 FEB 1948 - 26 OCT 1948
Debates on the Draft Constitution
4 NOV 1948
Second Reading of the Draft Constitution
14 NOV 1948 - 17 OCT 1949
Revision of the Draft Constitution
Third Reading of Drafting Constitution
14 NOV 1949 - 26 NOV 1949
Enactment and Adoption of the Constitution of India
26 JAN 1950
INSTITUTIONS
Constituent Assembly
The Constitution making process was organised around the deliberations of the Constituent Assembly. On 9 December 1946, the Constituent Assembly sat for the first time. In the span of 2 years and 11 months, it completed its task of framing India's Constitution. During this period the Constituent Assembly had 11 sessions and sat for a total of 167 days.
Engage with ideas and insights around the Constitution of India
Founding of India’s Republic: Continuity or Departure from Civilisation?
26 January 2025 • By Vineeth Krishna
The Sengol ceremony during the new parliament's inauguration was an attempt to depict India's founding as a continuation of its civilizational heritage. Did the Founders perceive India's transformation in similar vein?
Finding Bose in the Indian Constitution
26 January 2025 • By Vineeth Krishna and Sudhir Krishnaswamy
How did the views of Subhas Chandra Bose manifest in the Constituent Assembly Debates?
Videos
Podcasts
The Making of India’s Constitution
Podcast
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