In terms of structure, the Constitution originally comprised of 395 articles and 12 schedules. Since its adoption, the Constitution has been amended 106 times. After amendments, there are 498 articles and 12 schedules. Fundamental Rights, which were included in Part III, were debated for 16 days.
The drafting process began in 1946, at a crucial time when India was on the cusp of decolonisation. Establishing a legal system based on justice and sovereignty was essential for the nation’s self-governance. To undertake this task, a Constituent Assembly was formed, led by Rajendra Prasad. Over two years, the assembly met 11 times, from 1946 to 1950, to create the Constitution.
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Under this assembly another committee was established to draft the document. It was called the Drafting Committee, chaired by Dr BR Ambedkar. The committee met several times, proposing laws and amendments that were carefully debated and voted on by the members.
Initially, the Constitution contained about 1.4 lakh words, with each article and word being deliberated upon in detail.
The first copy of the Constitution was hand-written and calligraphed in both Hindi and English by Prem Behari Narain Raizada and printed in Dehradun. Additionally, the document was beautifully illustrated with hand-painted artwork by artists like Beohar Rammanohar Sinha and Nandalal Bose.
The Indian Constitution was crafted with meticulous deliberation and utmost care. The process began in 1946 with the formation of the Constituent Assembly and continued through rigorous discussions until November 26, 1949, when the Constitution was adopted. It officially came into effect on January 26, 1950, marking a pivotal moment in India’s journey toward self-governance.
(Edited by : Anushka Sharma)
