Structure

The Indian constitution is the world's longest. At its commencement, it had 395 articles in 22 parts and 8 schedules. It is made up of almost 80,000 words. In its current form (September 2012), it has a preamble, 25

Parts

The individual articles of the constitution are grouped together into the following parts:

  • Preamble

with the words "socialist" and "secular" added to it in 1976 by the 42nd constitutional amendment .

  • Part IUnion its Territory
  • Part IICitizenship
  • Part IIIFundamental Rights
  • Part IVDirective Principles of State Policy
  • Part IVAFundamental Duties
  • Part VThe Union
  • Part VIThe States
  • Part VII States in the B part of the First schedule (repealed)
  • Part VIIIThe Union Territories
  • Part IX The Panchayats
  • Part IXAThe Municipalities
  • Part IXBThe Co-operative Societies.
  • Part X The scheduled and Tribal Areas
  • Part XI Relations between the Union and the States
  • Part XII Finance, Property, Contracts and Suits
  • Part XIIITrade and Commerce within the territory of India
  • Part XIV Services Under the Union, the States
  • Part XIVATribunals
  • Part XVElections
  • Part XVISpecial Provisions Relating to certain Classes
  • Part XVIILanguages
  • Part XVIII Emergency Provisions
  • Part XIXMiscellaneous
  • Part XXAmendment of the Constitution
  • Part XXI Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions
  • Part XXII Short title, date of commencement, Authoritative text in Hindi and Repeals.

Appendices

  • Appendix I—The Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 1954.
  • Appendix II— Re-statement, with reference to the present text of the Constitution, of the exceptions and modifications subject to which the Constitution applies to the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
  • Appendix III—Extracts from the Constitution (Forty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1978.
  • Appendix IV—The Constitution (Eighty-sixth Amendment) Act, 2002.
  • Appendix V— The Constitution (Eighty-eighth Amendment) Act, 2003.

The constitution and the government

Institutions of governance, such as the Parliament, the President, the Judiciary, the Executive, etc. did not exist before the adoption of the constitution, by the people of India, and were created by it. Prime Minister as the head of union cabinet which would aid and advice the President in performing his constitutional duty. Union cabinet is collectively responsible to the House of the People.

The Constitution of India is in nature but unitary in spirit. The common features of a federation such as written Constitution supremacy of Constitution, rigidity of Constitution, two government, division of powers bicameralism and independent judiciary as well as unitary features like single Constitution, single citizenship, integrated judiciary, flexible Constitution, a strong Centre appointment of by the Centre, All-India Services Emergency Provisions etc. can be seen in Indian Constitution. This unique combination makes it quasi-federal in form.

Each state and each Union territory of India has its own government. Analogous to President and Prime Minister, each has a Governor (in case of states) or Lieutenant Governor (in the case of Union territories) and a Chief Minister Article 356 permits the President to dismiss a state government and assume direct authority when a situation has arisen in which the Government of the State cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. This power, known as President's rule, was abused earlier as state governments came to be dismissed on the flimsiest of grounds, and more due to the political discomfiture of the party in power at the centre. Post – Bommai judgment referenc h such course of has been rendered rather difficult, as the courts have asserted their right to review it. Consequently, very few state governments have been disbanded since.

The 73rd and 74th Amendment Act also introduced the system of Panchayati Raj in rural areas and Municipality in urban areas. Also, Article 370 of the Constitution gives special status to the State of Jammu and Kashmir.