Indian National Congress Archives - Constitution of India

ReadThe Constitution of India
Back
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
Back
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.
LearnDigital Classroom
EngageWritings & Media
Back

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.

Back

Blog

Independence: A Tale of Two Declarations

On 4 July 1776, representatives of the thirteen American colonies signed the Declaration of Independence, marking their liberation from British colonial rule. In celebration of the 4th of July, annually recognized as American Independence Day, we decided to take a look at the impact of the Declaration of Independence on its Indian counterpart – the […]

Read more

Blog

This Month in Constitution Making (June 1934): Congress Makes The First Official Demand For A Constituent Assembly

In a historic moment in June 1934, the Indian National Congress, for the first time, officially demanded an Indian Constituent Assembly1 to frame India’s Constitution. This added a new strand to Congress’s political engagement with the British on the future of India. Going forward, the demand for a Constituent Assembly would be made alongside calls […]

Read more

Blog

Bhagat Singh Hanged, Karachi Resolution Passed

In March 1931 thousands of Indians from across the country gathered at the Port city of Karachi. Among them were the leaders of India’s freedom movement, including Jawahar Lal Nehru, Sardar Patel, and Sarojini Naidu who were promptly garlanded and cheered on by a sea of Indians. The atmosphere was festive and energetic. The Indian […]

Read more