Question

Highlight the salient features of constitution of India

Answer 1

The Salient Features of the Constitution of India are as follows— (1) THE WORLD'S LENGTHIEST CONSTITUTION :- Consisting of 448 articles in 25 parts, 12 schedules, 5 appendices, the Indian Constitution is the lengthiest and the most detailed of all the written Constitutions of the world. (2) PARLIAMENTARY FORM OF GOVERNMENT :- The constitution of India establishes a parliamentary form of a government at the Centre as well as at the State. The president is the constitutional head of the State while the real executive power is vested in the Prime Minister and his Council of Ministers. (3) A UNIQUE BLEND OF RIGIDITY AND FLEXIBILITY :- It's been the nature of the amendment procedures itself, which had led political thinkers to classify federal Constitution as rigid {and flexible} to accommodate with the contemporary world. (4) FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS :- The incorporation of a formal declaration of Fundamental Rights in Part III of the Constitution is considered to be a distinctive feature of a Democracy. These rights are prohibitions against the State- i.e. the State cannot make a law which takes away or abridges any of the rights of the citizens guaranteed in Part III of Constitution. (5) DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES OF STATE POLICY :- The Directive Principles of State Policy, in Part IV of the Constitution, sets out the aims and objectives to be undertaken by the States in the governance of the country. (6) A FEDERATION WITH A STRONG CENTRALISING TENDENCY :- Being a federal Constitution, it acquires a unitary character during the time of emergency, which is indeed remarkable. During the proclamation of emergency the Union Government is given unlimited powers to legislate on any subject mentioned in the state list, as well as the financial arrangements between the Centre and State. (7) UNIVERSAL ADULT SUFFRAGE :- The previous communal electorates' system has been abolished, replaced by the uniform adult suffrage system. Under the Indian Constitution every Indian citizen above 18 years of age has been given the right to elect representatives for the legislature. (8) AN INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY :- An independent Judiciary with the power of judicial review has been established under the Constitution of India, which is a custodian right of the Indian citizens. Moreover, it plays a significant role of determining the limits of power of the Centre and States. (9) A SECULAR STATE :- A Secular State has no official religion, but treats all religions equally. Articles 25 to 28 of the Indian Constitution provide a concrete shape to this concept of secularism, guaranteeing to every person the freedom of conscience and the right to profess, practice and propagate religion. (10) SINGLE CITIZENSHIP :- In India, there is only one citizenship, i.e., Citizen of India, and there's no existence of a separate state citizenship like citizen of Odisha, Citizen of Maharashtra, etc. Every Indian is a Citizen of India and enjoy the same rights of citizenship, irrespective of the state they reside in.

Answer 2

The salient features of the Constitution of India are :

1.  It is a written Constitution

2.  It is world's lengthiest Constitution. It has 448 articles, 25 parts and 12 schedules.

3.  It is partly rigid as well as partly flexible constitution as some parts of it can be amended only through special majority in Parliament while others need a simple majority.

4.  The Constitution provides for Parliamentary form of government.

5.  It provides for a federation with a strong center.

6.  It provides a Democratic Republic and Secular state.

7.  It provides Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles of State Policy and Fundamental Duties.

8.  It provides single citizenship.

9.  It provides an Independent Judiciary.

10.  It is the Constitution which is drawn from various sources.