Museum - Constitution of India

ReadThe Constitution of India
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THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA
395 Articles, organised into 25 Parts and 12 Schedules, make up the Constitution of India

PARTS
Each Part collates Articles on specific themes. E.g. Fundamental Rights in Part III.

SCHEDULES
Each Schedule contains provisions necessary to apply related Articles.

Original Manuscript

Regional Translations
HISTORICAL CONSTITUTIONS
The Constitution of India 1950 was preceded by British authored framework legislation to govern India, and proto-constitutional drafts by several Indian individuals and groups. These Historical Constitutions are archived here.

CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY DEBATES
The Constitution of India 1950 was drafted by a Constituent Assembly. 167 days of plenary assembly debates from 9 December 1946 to 24 January 1950 are archived here.

Browse digitised, edited and paragraph-numbered versions of critical primary materials related to the Indian Constitution and its origins.

COMMITTEE REPORTS
Documents prepared by smaller groups of Constituent Assembly members which conducted preliminary research and advanced recommendations on specific constitutional topics.
ExploreConstitution-Making
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Travel through the various stage of the constitution-making process, discover the contributions of diverse institutions, and learn more about the framers of the Constitution through their biographies.

THE CONSTITUTION FRAMERS
Learn about the members of the Constituent Assembly, the role they played in India’s freedom movement and their contributions to constitution-making.

STAGES OF CONSTITUTION-MAKING
A stage-by-stage overview of the drafting of the Constitution of India 1950. Begin with our popular video on the making of the Indian Constitution.
INSTITUTIONS
The Constitution of India 1950 was drafted by the collective work of the following institutions:

CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY
A 389-member body responsible for drafting India’s Constitution.

COMMITTEES
Committees were created by the Constituent Assembly comprising smaller groups of members delegated with various responsibilities.

CONGRESS ASSEMBLY PARTY
An unofficial forum consisting of Assembly members belonging to the Indian National Congress that met on the side-lines of the Assembly.
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EngageWritings & Media
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Engage

Discover a wide range of writings and original multimedia content, in the form of blogs, podcasts and videos, that offer valuable insights into the history of India's Constitution, highlighting its relevance to current events both in India and worldwide. We rely on our extensive database of primary materials to produce this content.

Museum
Explore India’s rich constitutional and political history through a diverse collection of archival images, audio and video.

1946 Assembly Debates
Audio

Blog
Articles that engage with important political, social and legal developments in India and the world through constitutional and political history.

Podcasts
Our writings and research brought to life through voice. Also features interviews with scholars and educators.

Videos
Workshops, talks, and educational videos exclusively produced by us on India’s constitutional origins.

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Minoo Masani’s Speech on 17 December 1946

This short audio clip dated 17 December 1946, provides a glimpse of an intervention made in the Constituent Assembly Debates by the firebrand socialist, Minocher Rustom Masani. In this clip, Masani is heard making a powerful speech in favour of the Objectives Resolution moved by Jawaharlal Nehru.

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1946 | Constituent Assembly Debates

This 10 minute audio recording captures a part of the Constituent Assembly proceedings from 19 December 1946. The voices of Assembly members, Rajendra Prasad (Chairman), Frank Anthony, Jawaharlal Nehru, Kiran Shankar Roy, B.G.Kher and Syama Prasad Mookherjee are heard here.

Audio

1946 | B. R. Ambedkar on the Muslim League’s Absence from the Constituent Assembly

This clip of B.R. Ambedkar’s 17 December 1946 speech in the Constituent Assembly brings to light the volatility of the period in which the Objectives Resolution was taken up for discussion in the Constituent Assembly. His intervention here was part of the Assembly’s discussion on whether it was appropriate to pass the Objectives Resolution in the absence of the Muslim league.

Audio

1946 | Jaipal Singh Munda Congratulates Rajendra Prasad on Being Elected as the Assembly’s President

Listen to this fascinating audio recording of Jaipal Singh Munda’s 11 December 1946 speech in the Constituent Assembly, congratulating Rajendra Prasad on his election as the permanent chairman of the Assembly. Singh was a revolutionary political figure, an unrivalled orator and one of the few tribal members in the Assembly.

Audio

1947 | Hansa Jivraj Mehta’s Speech Presenting India’s National Flag

This archival audio recording from the midnight of 15 August 1947 documents Hansa Jivraj Mehta’s speech while presenting the National Flag to the country on behalf of the women of India. Mehta was one among the 15 women members of the Constituent Assembly and often a strong voice on issues affecting women.

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1946 | Dr. Sarojini Naidu’s Constituent Assembly Speech

This 10 minute audio clip from 11 December 1946 has Constituent Assembly Member, Sarojini Naidu congratulating Rajendra Prasad on his election as the Permanent Chairman of the Constituent Assembly.

Audio