Welcome to Our New Website!
By Editorial Team • 14 April 2023
We are excited to announce the launch of Constitutionofindia.net 3.0 on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti 2023! This latest version features significant upgrades in functionality, an expanded range of resources, and a comprehensive redesign aimed at emphasizing accessibility and readability.
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The Einstein-Nehru Exchange on Israel and Palestine
8 December 2023 • By Vineeth Krishna
ConQuest 2023 comes to a close. Goa University crowned champions
27 November 2023 • By Editorial Team
We celebrated Constitution Day on 25 November 2023 with the Grand Finale of ConQuest 2023 India's Premier National Quiz on the Indian Constitution, History, and Politics.
This Month in Constitution Making (Nov 1949): Drafting Committee Comes Under Fire
16 November 2023 • By Vineeth Krishna
In November 1949, as the Assembly reviewed its nearly three-year-long efforts, some members launched an attack on the Drafting Committee.
Founding Mothers of the Indian Republic: Gender Politics of the Framing of the Constitution (Achyut Chetan, 2023)
15 November 2023 • By Aishwarya Birla
PACT Research Associate, Aishwarya Birla, reviews this new book which provides an insight on the role played by women in drafting the Indian Constitution.
ConQuest 2023: India’s Premiere National Quiz on the Indian Constitution, History and Politics
30 September 2023 • By
ConstitutionofIndia.net is excited to announce the 7th edition of ConQuest: India’s Premiere National Quiz on the Indian Constitution, History and Politics.
Abolition of Titles: Striking Resemblance in Indian and Weimar Constitutions
7 September 2023 • By Aishwarya Birla
We trace the drafting history of Article 18 of the Constitution that abolished titles and highlight it's similarities to the Weimar Constitution.
This Month in Constitution Making (September 1945): Newly-elected Labour Party announces a Constituent Assembly for India
4 September 2023 • By Vineeth Krishna
How did the results of the 1945 UK General election have cascading effects on the setting up of two separate constitution-making bodies in India and Pakistan respectively?
When The Constituent Assembly Debated Space Travel
30 August 2023 • By
On August 23, ISRO commanded global attention by successfully landing the spacecraft, Chandrayaan, on the moon’s south pole. Nearly 75 years ago, H.V. Kamath proposed a provision on space travel in the Constitution.
Independence: A Tale of Two Declarations
14 August 2023 • By Editorial Team
What impact did the American Declaration of Independence have on the Declaration of Purna Swaraj introduced by the Indian National Congress in 1930?
Our Independence Movement Constitution
9 August 2023 • By Editorial Team
What made the Indian Independence Movement so unique? How did the experiences of the Independence movement leaders shape the framing of our Constitution?
Was the Indian Constitution Assembled?
4 August 2023 • By
This Month in Constitution Making (August 1947): Constituent Assembly Appoints Drafting Committee
3 August 2023 • By
While Assembly members did not have any issues with the composition of the Drafting Committee, there were certain concerns regarding the role and authority of the Committee in constitution-making.
The Jammu & Kashmir Constituent Assembly: A Brief History
28 July 2023 • By Editorial Team
In 2020, the Union repealed Article 370 that granted J&K the right to be governed by its own Constitution. In light of the upcoming Supreme Court hearings on the repeal, we trace the origins of the J&K Constituent Assembly.
This Month in Constitution Making (July 1946): Muslim League Walks From Constitution Making, Calls for ‘Direct Action’
19 July 2023 • By
In the preceding months, the Muslim League and the Indian National Congress were in intense political conflict over the constitutional future of India
Why Did Our Framers Defer the Uniform Civil Code?
4 July 2023 • By
The Union government will introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) during the Monsoon Session of Parliament sparking renewed wave of controversy and political tensions. This piece explores the reasons behind our framers' decision to defer the UCC, and the political context that influenced this constitutional choice.
This Month in Constitution Making (June 1934): Congress Makes The First Official Demand For A Constituent Assembly
13 June 2023 • By Vineeth Krishna
In a historic moment in June 1934, the Indian National Congress, for the first time, officially demanded an Indian Constituent Assembly to frame India's Constitution. In a span of a few years, this demand transformed into the cornerstone of India's freedom movement.
Founding of India’s Republic: Continuity or Departure from Civilisation?
1 June 2023 • 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?
The Constituent Assembly’s Concerns over President’s Ordinance Powers
22 May 2023 • By Siddharth Jha
Last Friday, the President promulgated an ordinance overturning a significant Supreme Court judgment. Did our Constitution framers intend for the ordinance powers to be used in such a manner?
Delhi and Washington D.C. : The Two Capitals’ Pursuit of Self-Governance
19 May 2023 • By Vineeth Krishna
Longstanding conflicts over the control of a nation's capital city between national and state governments are not exclusive to India. This piece draws parallels between India and the United States, examining the historical debates and current developments surrounding self-government their capital cities.
The Influence of Dewey’s Ideas of Social Forces on B.R. Ambedkar
16 May 2023 • By Siddharth Jha
A recent book by Scott Stroud carefully explores the influence of philosopher John Dewey and his pragmatic philosophy on B.R. Ambedkar. Here, we focus on one strand of this influence: Dewey’s ideas of social forces and the role of the individual in effecting social change.
Our Early Legislators on the Grounds for Divorce
8 May 2023 • By Siddharth Jha
On 1 May, the Supreme Court made significant interventions in the divorce law governed by the Hindu Marriage Act (HMA), utilising its power under Article 142 to expand the range of grounds on which individuals can seek divorce. Read what our early lawmakers had to say about this subject here.
Bhagat Singh Hanged, Karachi Resolution Passed
23 March 2023 • By Vineeth Krishna
On 23 March 1931 the British hanged Bhagat Singh for his involvement in the Lahore Conspiracy Case. Just a week later, the the Indian National Congress passed the iconic Karachi Resolution 1931. Were these two historic events connected?
Should Courts Review Delimitation?
22 March 2023 • By Vineeth Krishna
There are allegations that the recent delimitation exercises have redrawn constituency boundaries to give an advantage to a particular political party. Should courts intervene?
The Women’s Indian Association and Indian Constitutional Thought
8 March 2023 • By Vineeth Krishna
Explore the contribution of the Women's India Association to constitutional thought, long before 1946.
B.N. Rau’s ‘Outlines of a New Constitution’
26 February 2023 • By Siddharth Jha
Sir Benegal Narsing Rau played a key role in the making of our Constitution, as Constitutional Adviser. In this blog, we draw attention to a document authored by him in 1946, which aimed at resolving the political deadlock over India's constitutional future, by presenting a solution acceptable to both the Congress and the Muslim League.
The Tamil Nadu Governor and Constitutional Conventions
25 February 2023 • By Siddharth Jha
On 9 January 2023, the Governor of Tamil Nadu chose to skip certain portions of the speech prepared by the state government, while addressing the first session of the Legislative Assembly in the new year. This kicked off a huge political row, with the ruling party in Tamil Nadu alleging a serious breach of “convention”.
Ladakh’s Sixth Schedule Demand
25 February 2023 • By Varsha Nair
Ladakh has been witnessing huge protests demanding constitutional safeguards for the region under the Sixth Schedule. We examine if this demand is legitimate.
Distribution of Wealth: The Unfulfilled Vision of the Constitution’s Framers
24 January 2023 • By Tanya Kini
The gap between India’s rich and poor continues to grow at an alarming rate, as evidenced by a recent report from Oxfam India. What did our Constitution framers think was the best way to combat wealth inequality?
Why India’s Vice President is Wrong About Parliamentary Sovereignty
7 January 2023 • By Varsha Nair
On 7 December 2022, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar declared that ‘Parliament is the exclusive and ultimate determinative of the architecture of the Constitution’ and insisted that ‘the basic structure is primacy of the will of the people’. Are we at the beginning of another inter-institutional debate, 40 years after the Basic Structure Doctrine?
Democracy ki Pathshala: A Collaboration with the Patrika Foundation
3 January 2023 • By Editorial Team
Our collaboration with Rajasthan Patrika over the months of October to December 2022 as an educational outreach project
The British Game of Sovereignty
20 December 2022 • By Tanya Kini
The United Kingdom are allowed to field four separate teams in international football. The reason: their unique constitutional arrangement based on devolution of the UK parliament.
Why did B.R. Ambedkar Accept the Poona Pact?
19 December 2022 • By Siddharth Jha
What were the reasons behind Ambedkar accepting the Poona Pact despite the lack of inclusion of separate electorates within its provisions?
संशोधन
12 December 2022 • By Editorial Team
भले ही किसी भी संविधान को बनाने में कितनी भी सावधानी रखी गई हो, वो किसी देश के राजनीतिक और सामाजिक हालात में होने वाले बदलावों का पूर्वानुमान नहीं लगा सकता। इसलिए हमारे संविधान निर्माताओं ने संशोधन नियमों को बनाते समय सही संतुलन ढूंढने को कोशिश की।
DEMOCRATIC DECENTRALIZATION जब सरकारों की जनता के प्रति जवाबदेही तय हुई
5 December 2022 • By Editorial Team
भारत के विकेंद्रीकरण सरकार के निचले स्तरों तक लोकतांत्रिक प्रक्रियाओं का विस्तार है। स्थानीय स्तर पर होने वाले चुनावों के साथ-साथ, विकेंद्रीकरण का तात्पर्य उन शक्तियों और कार्यों के हस्तांतरण से भी है जिनका निर्वाहन स्थानीय सरकारें उत्कृष्ट रूप से कर सकती हैं।
कैसे हुई भारतीय संघवाद की उत्पत्ति?
21 November 2022 • By Editorial Team
किसी भी संविधान के निर्माताओं के सामने सबसे महत्वपूर्ण निर्णयों में से एक संघीय या एकात्मक संरचना के बीच चयन करना। हमारा संविधान केंद्र और राज्यों के बीच विधायी, प्रशासनिक और वित्तीय शक्तियों को विभाजित करता है।
सामाजिक-आर्थिक परिवर्तन पर लक्षित हैं निर्देशक तत्व
14 November 2022 • By Editorial Team
राज्य के नीति निदेशक तत्व भारतीय संविधान की सबसे नवीन और अनूठी विशेषताओं में से एक हैं। अनुच्छेद 37 उनके उद्देश्य को स्पष्ट करता है। ये सिद्धांत शासन के लिए मौलिक हैं और इन्हें ध्यान में रखना राज्य का कर्तव्य होगा।
मौलिक अधिकार
6 November 2022 • By Editorial Team
ब्रिटिश शासन के खिलाफ लंबे संघर्ष ने हमारे संविधान निर्माताओं को नागरिकों की स्वतंत्रता और उस स्वतंत्रता को संरक्षित करने का महत्त्व सिखाया। जब भी भारतीयों ने एक संवैधानिक भविष्य की कल्पना की, उन्होंने इन मौलिक अधिकारों को भी इस भविष्य में शामिल किया।
जानें… भारतीय संविधान की शक्तियां व विशेषताएं
31 October 2022 • By Editorial Team
‘हम, भारत के लोग...' वाक्यांश से शुरू होकर, प्रस्तावना यह बिल्कुल स्पष्ट करती है कि संविधान का अधिकार भारत की जनता के हाथ में है। ये शब्द नागरिकों की संप्रभुता पर जोर देते हैं कि नागरिक संविधान की सारी शक्ति का स्रोत होंगे और राजनीतिक व्यवस्था लोगों के प्रति जवाबदेह और जिम्मेदार होगी।
आजादी की लड़ाई से प्रेरित है हमारा संविधान
22 October 2022 • By Editorial Team
भारतीय संविधान का समृद्ध इतिहास है, जो स्वतंत्रता संग्राम की ऐतिहासिक घटनाओं से प्रभावित है। समकालीन भारतीय संविधान को आकार देने वाले विचारों की जड़ें लगभग 1895 से ही विकसित होने लगी थीं।
How did Ambedkar and Gandhi imagine Indian Federalism?
13 October 2022 • By Vineeth Krishna and Siddharth Jha
B.R. Ambedkar's and M.K. Gandhi's contrasting views on the caste system, have garnered wide attention. Here, we compare their views on an important constitutional design feature: Federalism.
The Making of India’s Constitution: 5 Essential Primary Sources
3 October 2022 • By Siddharth Jha
Five Primary Sources that are critical to engaging with India's Constitution-making project.
Desk Brief: Who Should Get Reservations?
23 September 2022 • By Editorial Team
The 103rd Amendment Act introduced reservations based on economic criteria, which up till then had been based only on social and economic backwardness. What did our Constitution-framers think about this important matter?
Desk Brief: How our Constitution Makers Cut Their Teeth in Municipal Governance
20 September 2022 • By Editorial Team
Many Constituent Assembly members held different roles within municipal governance. But why was the Assembly reluctant to grant Constitutional provisions to municipal bodies?
Sir T. Madhava Rao’s 1874 Constitution for the Princely States: Is This India’s First Historical Constitution?
19 September 2022 • By Editorial Team
A new historical document uncovered by Rahul Sagar could possibly be the first historical constitution document for India, before what is currently considered as the first, the Swaraj Bill of 1895.
Chileans Overwhelmingly Reject a New Progressive Constitution
12 September 2022 • By Vineeth Krishna
In September 2022, the Chilean population voted to reject the Draft of a new Chilean Constitution. What does the rejection of a highly progressive draft constitution mean for future constitution-making projects?
Monarchy and the Indian Republic
12 September 2022 • By Siddharth Jha
How did India decide to join the Commonwealth group of nations despite being a Republic?
5 Essential Writings on Constitution Making
7 September 2022 • By Editorial Team
Here we highlight 5 works in the field of constitution making that help readers to understand the processes involved in this field.
National Constitution Society
1 September 2022 • By Editorial Team
In 2018, the Centre for Law and Policy Research, Bangalore (CLPR) initiated a network of Constitution societies in schools and colleges across India known as the National Constitution Society (NCS) to develop and sustain constitutional engagement among the student community in India. The NCS work provides a unique platform for students from universities across the country to interact and collaborate with each other towards building a vibrant constitutional culture in India.
Transfer of Power: The Delayed Announcement of the Boundaries of India and Pakistan
30 August 2022 • By Vineeth Krishna and Varsha Nair
On the evening of 13 August 1947, Sir Cyril Radcliffe submitted a report to the Viceroy of India, Lord Mountbatten, that settled the territorial boundaries of India and Pakistan, referred to as the Commissions' ‘awards’. The British archives reveal why there was a delay in the publication of the awards.
Desk Brief: Why Didn’t Sri Lanka Invoke Financial Emergency Provisions?
4 August 2022 • By Editorial Team
We examine the financial emergency provisions in the Sri Lankan Constitution, its connection to the Indian constitution and why it may not have been invoked during the crisis.
Desk Brief: The Constituent Assembly on Retired Judges Taking Up Executive Office
19 July 2022 • By Editorial Team
We explore what our Constitution Framers thought about retired judges taking up government posts.
पहला संवैधानिक संशोधन
16 July 2022 • By Varsha Nair
आजाद भारत का पहला बजट
16 July 2022 • By Varsha Nair
This Month in Constitution Making (July 1947): Constituent Assembly Reacts to India’s Partition
11 July 2022 • By Vineeth Krishna
In this desk brief, we break down the reactions to the announcement of Partition in the Indian Constituent Assembly.
How a 1934 U.S. Case Shaped the Press Freedom Debate in the Assembly
28 June 2022 • By Vineeth Krishna and Varsha Nair
How was the debate on the Seventh Schedule of the Draft Constitution of India 1948 influenced by U.S. case law?
Desk Brief: Why is the President of India Not Elected by the People?
22 June 2022 • By Editorial Team
Why does India 'indirectly' elect the President? What were the views of our Constitution framers on this issue?
Desk Brief: Indian Framers Refused a Constitutional Right to Bear Arms
30 May 2022 • By Editorial Team
How did our Constitution framers debate on the issue of the right to bear arms freely?
Desk Brief: A Brief History of the Supreme Court’s ‘Complete Justice’ Power
19 May 2022 • By Editorial Team
We explain the concept of 'complete justice' as laid out in the Indian Constitution for the Supreme Court of India.
Why India’s Constitution Framers Hated the Sedition Law
13 May 2022 • By Vineeth Krishna
The views of 'sedition' from our Constitution framers as compared to present day.
This Month in Constitution Making (May 1949): India Decides to Remain in the Commonwealth of Nations
4 May 2022 • By Vineeth Krishna
How Nehru ended up convincing the Constituent Assembly to join the Commonwealth Group of Nations.
Workers’ Rights in M.N. Roy’s Constitution of Free India : A Draft (1944)
2 May 2022 • By Vineeth Krishna
We examine the provisions of the Constitution of Free India: A Draft (1944).
Desk Brief: Sardar Patel’s Spirited Defence of the Indian Civil Services
23 April 2022 • By Editorial Team
What did the ICS officers and their role mean to our Constitution framers?
This Month in Constitution Making (April 1947): Princely States Join the Constituent Assembly
6 April 2022 • By Vineeth Krishna
How did the group of Princely States join the Union of India?
Desk Brief: Why Do Some Union Expenses Not Require Parliament’s Approval?
31 March 2022 • By Editorial Team
We look at how our Constitution framers decided the separation of powers with regards to Parliament and budgetary approval.
Desk Brief: Did Indians Participate in Constitution Making?
29 March 2022 • By Editorial Team
A paper by Ornit Shani, a political scientist, explores the role of regular Indians in the Indian constitution-making process.
Regional Translations of the Indian Constitution
27 March 2022 • By Varsha Nair
The Constitution of India has been translated into all 22 scheduled languages by the Government of India. Access the translated versions of the Constitution here.
2021 कॉन्स्टिटूशन ऑफ़ इंडिया डॉट नेट के साथ
11 March 2022 • By Editorial Team
How A 1933 U.S. Law Shaped India’s Financial Emergency Provision
25 February 2022 • By Vineeth Krishna and Kalyani Menon
What was the impact of FDR's actions during the Great Depression on the Indian Constituent Assembly?
Desk Brief: Constitution Framers Refused to Regulate Religious Attire
16 February 2022 • By Editorial Team
In light of the recent case on religious attire in educational institutions, we explore the thoughts of the Constituent Assembly on this matter.
This Month in Constitution-Making (February 1947): Britain Announces It Will Quit India
9 February 2022 • By Vineeth Krishna
The background behind the announcement of Britain quitting India in February 1947.
Desk Brief: Indian Framers Deliberately Chose ‘Union of States’
5 February 2022 • By Editorial Team
Why is India referred to as a 'Union of States' and not a 'federation?
Desk Brief: Independent India’s First Budget
3 February 2022 • By Editorial Team
Breaking down Independent India's First Budget.
Desk Brief: ‘We the People in the Name of Gandhi’?
31 January 2022 • By Editorial Team
What was the debate regarding the Preamble of the Indian Constitution?
Desk Brief: 2021 with Constitutionofindia.net
31 January 2022 • By Editorial Team
We step back and review 2021 through a curated set of Constitutionofindia.net pieces.
Tightening the Noose on Interfaith Marriage
31 January 2022 • By Varsha Nair
What is the impact of the fusing of anti-conversion bills with interfaith marriage legislation?
Finding Bose in the Indian Constitution
26 January 2022 • By Vineeth Krishna and Sudhir Krishnaswamy
How did the views of Subhas Chandra Bose manifest in the Constituent Assembly Debates?
लोकतंत्र में विरोध
7 January 2022 • By Editorial Team
जबरन मजदूरी किसे माना गया है ?
7 January 2022 • By Editorial Team
Should Minors Have the Right to Convert?
4 January 2022 • By Varsha Nair
The Indian Constituent Assembly engages with adulthood in the context of religious conversion.
This Month in Constitution-Making (January 1947): The Constituent Assembly passes the Objectives Resolution
4 January 2022 • By Vineeth Krishna
How did Nehru convince the Constituent Assembly to accept the provisions of the Objectives Resolution?
Desk Brief: What Counts as Forced Labour?
31 December 2021 • By Editorial Team
The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is observed on 2 December to bring the world's attention to forced labour.
Desk Brief: Is Religious Conversion about Individuals or Groups?
24 December 2021 • By Editorial Team
How was religious conversion debated on in the Constituent Assembly? Was it an individual right or something represented as a group?
पच्चीसवां संविधान संशोधन
22 December 2021 • By Editorial Team
Desk Brief: Opposing Democracy?
16 December 2021 • By Editorial Team
How our Constitution framers envisioned the functioning of a robust Parliament with a strong opposition
B.R. Ambedkar’s Justification To Restrict Fundamental Rights
10 December 2021 • By Meenakshi Ramkumar
B.R Ambedkar was faced with criticism from his Constituent Assembly colleagues: why were there restrictions on Fundamental Rights in the Draft Constitution?
Desk Brief: The 25th Amendment
30 November 2021 • By Editorial Team
We examine the development of the right to property from a Fundamental Right to a constitutional right.
Desk Brief: The Day We Adopted Our Constitution
26 November 2021 • By Editorial Team
The day the Indian Constituent Assembly adopted the Indian Constitution on 26 November 1949 - how it happened.
This Month in Constitution-Making (November 1946): Was The Constituent Assembly Valid Despite Muslim League Absence?
8 November 2021 • By Vineeth Krishna
Did the absence of the Muslim League from the Indian Constituent Assembly test its validity of existence?
Does Affirmative Action Conflict with Efficiency?
14 October 2021 • By Editorial Team
What were the reasons given by our Constitution framers when debating the impact and consequences of affirmative action?
ईश्वर के नाम पर
12 October 2021 • By Editorial Team
This Month In Constitution Making (October, 1949): Constituent Assembly Adds Contempt of Court to Free Speech Limitations
5 October 2021 • By Vineeth Krishna
Why did TT Krishnamachari want to add 'contempt of court' as a constraint to the Fundamental right of Freedom of speech?
Desk Brief: Article 372 and Laiq Ali’s Escape
30 September 2021 • By Editorial Team
The connection between newly independent India's detention laws and the powers of the President of India.
Affirmative Action in Indian Constitutional History: An Overview
30 September 2021 • By Meenakshi Ramkumar
How has the concept of affirmative action been discussed through Indian history, especially during the Indian freedom struggle and in Historical Constitutions?
24वां संविधान संशोधन
28 September 2021 • By Editorial Team
Desk Brief: Why Hindi is not our National Language
27 September 2021 • By Editorial Team
How did the Constituent Assembly decide on Hindi's inclusion as an official language of the country?
Desk Brief: Extending Affirmative Action to the Supreme Court?
20 September 2021 • By Editorial Team
Is it time that we now have laws that ensure that the Supreme Court is more inclusive and comprise all marginalised communities - not just gender diversity?
This Month in Constitution-Making (September 1949): Constituent Assembly Settles on a Name for the Union
20 September 2021 • By Vineeth Krishna
Read about how our Constitution framers debated on the naming of the country as per Article 1 of the Constitution of India 1950
जयपाल सिंह- भारतीय हॉकी और जनजातीय अधिकारों की कप्तानी
11 September 2021 • By Editorial Team