ReadThe Constitution of India
Back
THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA
395 Articles, organised into 25 Parts and 12 Schedules, make up the Constitution of India

PARTS
Each Part collates Articles on specific themes. E.g. Fundamental Rights in Part III.

SCHEDULES
Each Schedule contains provisions necessary to apply related Articles.

Original Manuscript

Regional Translations

Browse digitised, edited and paragraph-numbered versions of critical primary materials related to the Indian Constitution and its origins.
HISTORICAL CONSTITUTIONS
The Constitution of India 1950 was preceded by British authored framework legislation to govern India, and proto-constitutional drafts by several Indian individuals and groups. These Historical Constitutions are archived here.

CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY DEBATES
The Constitution of India 1950 was drafted by a Constituent Assembly. 167 days of plenary assembly debates from 9 December 1946 to 24 January 1950 are archived here.

Browse digitised, edited and paragraph-numbered versions of critical primary materials related to the Indian Constitution and its origins.

PETITIONS
Feedback and suggestions from groups, organizations, and individuals to the Constituent Assembly on India’s new Constitution.

COMMITTEE REPORTS
Documents prepared by smaller groups of Constituent Assembly members which conducted preliminary research and advanced recommendations on specific constitutional topics.
ExploreConstitution-Making
Back
Travel through the various stage of the constitution-making process, discover the contributions of diverse institutions, and learn more about the framers of the Constitution through their biographies.

THE CONSTITUTION FRAMERS
Learn about the members of the Constituent Assembly, the role they played in India’s freedom movement and their contributions to constitution-making.

STAGES OF CONSTITUTION-MAKING
A stage-by-stage overview of the drafting of the Constitution of India 1950. Begin with our popular video on the making of the Indian Constitution.
INSTITUTIONS
The Constitution of India 1950 was drafted by the collective work of the following institutions:

CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY
A 389-member body responsible for drafting India’s Constitution.

COMMITTEES
Committees were created by the Constituent Assembly comprising smaller groups of members delegated with various responsibilities.

CONGRESS ASSEMBLY PARTY
An unofficial forum consisting of Assembly members belonging to the Indian National Congress that met on the side-lines of the Assembly.
LearnDigital Classroom
EngageWritings & Media
Back

Engage

Discover a wide range of writings and original multimedia content, in the form of blogs, podcasts and videos, that offer valuable insights into the history of India's Constitution, highlighting its relevance to current events both in India and worldwide. We rely on our extensive database of primary materials to produce this content.

Museum
Explore India’s rich constitutional and political history through a diverse collection of archival images, audio and video.

1946 Assembly Debates
Audio

Blog
Articles that engage with important political, social and legal developments in India and the world through constitutional and political history.

Podcasts
Our writings and research brought to life through voice. Also features interviews with scholars and educators.

Videos
Workshops, talks, and educational videos exclusively produced by us on India’s constitutional origins.

Back

COH.10

9. (1) The legislative power of the Hindusthan Free State shall be vested in the Congress.

(2) The Congress shall consist of the President and two Chambers, to be known respectively as the Senate and the House of Representatives.

(3) The Senate shall consist of three hundred representatives to be elected by the members of the Provincial Legislatures by the method of proportional representation with single transferable vote, seats being allotted to each province on the basis of population.

(4) No person, who has not completed thirty years of his age on the date of nomination, shall be a member of the Senate.

(5) The House of Representatives shall consist Of six hundred representatives to be elected by constituencies as determined by law on the basis of population.

(6) No person, who has not completed twenty-five years of his age on the date of nomination shall be a member of the house of Representatives.

(7) The representatives of the Senate and the House of Representatives shall be chosen in accordance with the provisions in that behalf contained in the—Schedule to this Act.

(8) No person shall be a member of both the Chambers and a person who has been elected as a member of both the Chambers shall be deemed to have vacated the seat to which he was first elected.

(9) The Senate shall be a permanent body not subject to dissolution, but as near as may be one-third of the members thereof shall retire every third year in accordance with the pro- visions in that behalf contained in the—Schedule annexed hereto.

(10) The House of Representatives, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue for five years from the date appointed for their first meeting but no longer, and the expiration of the said period shall operate as a dissolution of the Chamber.