This article describes the 16 Salient features of the Constitution of the Indian Republic.

(1) Written Constitution

The constitution of the Indian Republic is written. It contains 395 articles and 10
Schedules, According to the proposals of the Cabinet Mission Plan; Constituent Assembly
was set up for framing a constitution for the Union of India. The Assembly consisted of
the representatives of the provinces and the nominees of the states, ft met in New Delhi
in December 1946. After nearly three years of deliberations if finally adopted the
constitution on November 26, 1949. The Indian Republic was inaugurated on January 26,
1950.
(2) Rigid and flexible
The constitution is rigid in the sense that most of its parts cannot be amended by the
ordinary law-making process. There are three methods of amending the constitution.
Some of its facts can be amended by the ordinary law-making process by Parliament.
Certain provisions can be amended provided that a Bill for that purpose is passed in each
House of Parliament by a majority of the total membership of the House and by a
majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting; the Bill then is
presented to the President who has to give his assent. Then there are certain other
provisions which can be amended if a Bill for that purpose is passed by the second
method described above and ratified by the Legislatures of not less than one-half of the
states before being presented to the President.
Thus the constitution is rigid as well as flexible.
(3) Drawn from Different' Sources
A distinguishing feature of the Indian constitution is that it was prepared after
transacting all the known constitutions of the world. So it is a borrowed constitution, it is
a patch work. For example, the Parliamentary System has been borrowed from England,
the concept of independent judiciary and judicial review and fundamental rights from the
U.S. Constitution, the federal features from Canada and the Directive Principles from
Ireland. However, the Government of India Act of 1935 has the greatest impact on our
constitution. As Prof. Jennings observes, "the constitution derives directly from the
Government of India Act of 1935 from which, in fact, many of its provisions are copied
almost textually In the words of Dr. Punjab Rao Deshmukh, the constitution of India is
"essentially the Government of India Act with only adult franchise added."
But it is also true that whatever .the framers of the constitution borrowed from different
source's, they modified it .with a view to avoiding the faults that have been disclosed in
its working and adopted it to the existing conditions and needs of the country.
(4) Detailed Administrative Provisions Included
Our constitution is a bulky document. It is because the framers of the constitution
followed and almost reproduced the Government of India Act of 1935 which itself is a
lengthy and detailed organic law. As Dr. B.R. Ambedkar observed, it is perfectly possible
to pervert the constitution without changing the form of administration. To prevent such
subversion of the constitution detailed administrative provisions were included in it. We
have in our- constitution detailed provisions about the organization of the judiciary, the
services, the Public Service Commission, Election and the like, and about the division of
powers between the Union and the states.
(5) Constitution of the units also included
The constitution of a federal state usually deals only with the Federal Government and
leaves the federating units to draw their own constitutions. This practice was followed in

the framing of the constitutions of the USA, USSR, Canada and other Federal States. But
the Indian constitution provides the constitutions of both the Union and the states. This
has contributed to the bulk of the Indian constitution.
(6) Sovereign Democratic Republic
The Indian Independence Act, 1947 declared India dominion with the Queen of England
as the head of the state. The Governor-General- was appointed by the Queen and acted
as her representative in this country. The, authors of the constitutor; rightly decided that
Dominion status was not in conformity with the dignity of the Indian nation. The
preamble of the constitution, therefore, declared India as a Sovereign Democratic
Republic. It means that India as a nation does not owe allegiance to any foreign power, is
independent in her dealings with foreign countries and enjoys equal status in the world
community with other independent sovereign states.
India is a democracy. It means that sovereignty rests with the people of India. They
govern themselves through their representatives elected on the basis of universal adult
franchise. Besides, the constitution confers on Indian citizens some fundamental rights
and which are considered to be the essence of a democratic system.
India is a republic as unlike Britain there is no hereditary element in the Indian
Governmental system. The President, the highest official of the state, is elective. The
institution of monarchy which obtained in the states before Independence was abolished.
Although India is a sovereign republic, yet she continues to be a member of the
Commonwealth of Nations with the British Monarch as its head. Her membership of the
commonwealth does not compromise her position as a sovereign republic. The
Commonwealth is an association of free and independent nations. The British monarch is
only symbolic head of the association.
(7) Secular State
India is a secular state. It means that the state does not recognize, establish or endow
any church or religious organization. It is not guided in the discharge of its functions by
the considerations of secular or the worldly welfare of the people. It does not seek to
promote the spiritual or religious welfare of the people. It allows freedom of religion. The
constitution guarantees freedom of worship, faith and conscience. It does not
discriminate in matters of government employment on the basis of religion. The term
"Secular" did not occur in any part of the original constitution. It was incorporated in the
preamble by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment in 1976.
(8) Socialist State
India is a socialist state. The term "Socialist" was added to the preamble of the
constitution by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976. But it is to be noted
that the "Socialism" envisaged by the constitution is not the usual state socialism of
Russian or Chinese variety which involves nationalization of all the means of production,
distribution; communication etc. The late Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, explained the
nature of Indian Socialism: "We have always said that we have our own brand of
socialism. We will .nationalize the sectors where we feel the necessity. Just
nationalization is not our type of socialism."
(9) Fundamental Rights and Constitutional Remedies
Like the constitution of the USA and the USSR, the Indian constitution contains a
comprehensive Bill of Rights. Right to freedom, right to equality, right to religion, right
against exploitation, and cultural rights have been guaranteed to the citizens of India.

The rights are enforceable in the courts. The constitution guarantees the right to move
the Supreme Court and the High Courts by appropriate proceedings for the enforcement
of the rights mentioned above. The remedies for enforcing the rights, namely, the writs
of habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition and certiorari are also guaranteed by the
constitution under Article 32.
(10) Fundamental Duties
A chapter Part IVA on fundamental duties was incorporated in the constitution by the
42nd Amendment Act. Article 51A of the constitution enumerates ten fundamental duties
of the citizens of India. To respect and abide by the constitution and the laws; to uphold
the sovereignty of the nation; to respect the democratic institutions enshrined in the
constitution to abjure communalism and violence is some of the fundamental duties of
the citizens. But unlike the fundamental rights, the fundamental duties are not
enforceable in the courts.
(11) Directive Principles of State Policy
A distinctive feature of the constitution is that it contains a Chapter, IVth on the Directive
Principles of State Policy. These Directives relate mostly to social and economic justice,
such as adequate means of livelihood for all distribution of wealth so as to sub serve the
common good, equal pay for equal work, protection of adult and child labor, free and
compulsory primary education etc. These are the Guiding principles of state policy. The
authors of the constitution did not make the Directive Principles justiciable. Though the
Directive Principles are not enforceable by the courts and if the government of the day
fails to carry out these objects no court can make the government ensure them, yet the
principles have been declared to be fundamental in the governance of the country and it
shall be the duty of the state to apply these, principles in making laws.
(12) A federal Polity
The constitution is federal in nature but the term "Federation" has now here been used in
the constitution. India has been described as a Union of States according to the Article 1
of the constitution. There are twenty five states in the union, each one with a separate
Executive, Legislature and Judiciary. Powers have been divided between the Union
Government on the one hand and the states on the other by the constitution itself. The
constitution is sovereign and there is provision for judicial review.
(13) Parliamentary System of Government
India has borrowed the Parliamentary system of Government. Both at the centre and in
the states the Executive is responsible to the Legislature elected by the people on the
basis of adult franchise. The President, who is the head of the state, is only the nominal
head of the Government. The real head of the government is the Prime Minister who is
the leader of the majority party in Parliament. The Cabinet, headed by the Prime
Minister, is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha, the Lower House of Parliament. In
the states also the government is parliamentary in nature.
(14) Adult Franchise
Although at the time when the constitution was made, the vast majority of the Indian
people were illiterate and backward, the framers of the constitution took the bold step of
conferring the right to vote on every adult citizen of India irrespective of the differences
of education, property or sex. Every citizen who is 21 years of age has the right to vote.
This makes the constitution democratic in the real sense of the term.
(15) Reservation in Legislatures and Services for Backward Classes

A distinctive feature of the Indian constitution is that there is reservation of seats for the
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the House of the People and in the state,
assemblies which according to the sixty-second amendment 1989 will continue up to the
year 2000. The constitution also lays down that the claims of the Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes shall be taken into consideration in making appointments to services
and posts' in connection with the affairs of the Union or of a state.
There is also reservation of seats for Anglo-Indian community in the House of the People
and in some State Assemblies.
(16) Supreme Court and judicial Review
A Supreme Court is a necessary element in a federal polity. Accordingly, the Indian
constitution has established a Supreme Court of India. The court has both original and
appellate jurisdiction. It has the power of judicial review. It can declare any Legislative
enactment or administrative Act as unconstitutional if it is deemed to be in conflict with
the provisions of the constitution. Besides, the Supreme Court is a court of record.