Salient Features of the Constitution
Elaboration
- Lengthiest written Constitution in the world, with detailed administrative provisions and borrowings from many sources.
- Blend of rigidity and flexibility: Amendments need simple majority, special majority, or special majority plus state ratification ( Article 368).
- Federal system with unitary bias (K.C. Wheare: quasi-federal); Article 1 calls India a "Union of States".
- Parliamentary form at both Centre and states.
- Synthesis of parliamentary sovereignty and judicial supremacy: Parliament is supreme in law-making but bound by judicial review.
- Integrated and independent judiciary with the Supreme Court at the top.
- Fundamental Rights (Part III), DPSP (Part IV), Fundamental Duties (Part IV-A, Art 51A).
- Secular state, universal adult franchise ( voting age 18 by 61st Amendment, 1988), single citizenship, independent bodies (EC, CAG, UPSC, Finance Commission), emergency provisions (352, 356, 360), three-tier government ( 73rd and 74th Amendments), cooperative societies ( 97th).
- Special provisions for SC/ST/OBC/Minorities and for some states ( Art 371 to 371-J).
Key points to remember
- Fundamental Duties: 10 originally (1976) → 11 after 86th Amendment (2002), Art 51A(k).
- India: Federation without the word federation, Article 1: Union of States (Ambedkar: indestructible Union of destructible states).
- Flexibility + rigidity = most provisions can be amended only by special majority.
- India has a single integrated judiciary unlike USA's dual system.
PYQ / MCQ
1. Which of the following describes the Indian Constitution best?
(a) Rigid and federal
(b) Flexible and unitary
(c) A synthesis of rigidity and flexibility with federal system and unitary bias
(d) Purely federal
Answer: (c)
2. How many Fundamental Duties are there currently?
(a) 8
(b) 10
(c) 11
(d) 12
Answer: (c)
3. India has adopted a single integrated judicial system from: (a) USA (b) GoI Act 1935 / Britain (c) Canada (d) Germany Answer: (b)