Features of the Indian Constitution at a Glance
| S. No. | Feature | Key Points / UPSC Pointers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lengthiest Written Constitution | – 470+ Articles, 25 Parts, 12 Schedules. – Detailed due to: vastness, diversity, Govt. of India Act 1935 influence, single Constitution for Centre & States, legalistic drafting. |
| 2 | Drawn from Various Sources | – Ambedkar: “Ransacking all known Constitutions.” – Structural part: GoI Act 1935. – Philosophical part: FRs (USA), DPSPs (Ireland). – Political part: Cabinet govt. (UK). – Others: Canada, Australia, USSR, France, Japan, S. Africa. |
| 3 | Blend of Rigidity & Flexibility | – Three modes of amendment: 1. Simple majority. 2. Special majority. 3. Special majority + State ratification. – Balance of flexibility & stability. |
| 4 | Federal System with Unitary Bias | – Federal features: dual govt., division of powers, written Const., independent judiciary. – Unitary features: strong Centre, single Const., single citizenship, all-India services, emergency provisions. – Scholars: K.C. Wheare → “Quasi-federal”, Granville Austin → “Co-operative federalism.” |
| 5 | Parliamentary Govt. | – Westminster Model (UK). – Features: Nominal & real exec., collective responsibility, majority rule, dual membership, PM/CM leadership, dissolution of lower house. – Difference: Indian Parliament not sovereign; India = Republic (elected Head). |
| 6 | Parliamentary Sovereignty + Judicial Supremacy | – UK → Parliament supreme; USA → Judicial supremacy. – India → Balance. – SC has judicial review; Parliament has constituent power (Art. 368). |
| 7 | Integrated & Independent Judiciary | – Single system (SC → HCs → Subordinate courts). – SC = Federal court + Highest appeal + Guardian of FRs + Guardian of Constitution. – Independence ensured: tenure, service conditions, expenses from CFI, contempt power, no post-retirement practice (SC). |
| 8 | Fundamental Rights (FRs) | – Part III: 6 FRs (Arts. 14–32). – Justiciable, enforceable via SC/HC writs (habeas corpus, mandamus, etc.). – Subject to reasonable restrictions. – Can be suspended during Emergency (except Arts. 20 & 21). |
| 9 | Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSPs) | – Part IV: Non-justiciable. – Aim → Welfare State, socio-economic democracy. – Types: Socialistic, Gandhian, Liberal-Intellectual. – SC (Minerva Mills, 1980): Balance between FRs & DPSPs = “bedrock of Constitution.” |
| 10 | Fundamental Duties (FDs) | – Added by 42nd Amendment (1976); 11th duty added by 86th Amendment (2002). – Article 51A (Part IV-A) → 11 duties. – non-justiciable; moral obligations reminding citizens of responsibilities. |
| 11 | Secular State | – Preamble (42nd Amendment, 1976): “Secular.”- Arts. 14, 15, 16, 25–30, 44 ensure secularism. – Indian secularism = positive secularism (equal respect for all religions) unlike Western “negative secularism” (strict separation). |
| 12 | Universal Adult Franchise | – Voting right to all citizens 18+ years (61st Amendment, 1988). – No discrimination (caste, gender, wealth, literacy). – Bold experiment given size, poverty, illiteracy. – Strengthens equality, minorities’ voice, and democracy. |
| 13 | Single Citizenship | – Only Indian citizenship (unlike USA’s dual citizenship). – Ensures equality & unity across states. – Yet, social conflicts (communal, caste, linguistic) show incomplete integration. |
| 14 | Independent Bodies | – ECI → Free & fair elections. – CAG → Guardian of public purse. – UPSC/SPSC → Merit-based recruitment.- Independence safeguarded (tenure, fixed conditions, expenses on CFI). |
| 15 | Emergency Provisions | – Three types:1. National (Art. 352).2. State (Art. 356/365).3. Financial (Art. 360). – Federal → temporarily turns Unitary during emergencies. |
| 16 | Three-tier Govt. | – 73rd Amendment (1992): Panchayats (Part IX, 11th Schedule). – 74th Amendment (1992): Municipalities (Part IX-A, 12th Schedule). – Local govt. → 3rd tier of polity. |
| 17 | Co-operative Societies | – 97th Amendment (2011): 1. Art. 19 → Right to form co-ops (FR). 2. Art. 43B (DPSP). 3. Part IX-B (Arts. 243-ZH to 243-ZT). – Aim: Democratic, autonomous, professional co-operatives. |