November 26 marks 76 years since the Indian Constitution was adopted, a date that carries importance not only for legal professionals but for every Indian. Until 2015, this day had been officially celebrated as National Law Day in recognition of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar—who chaired the Constitution’s Drafting Committee and served as independent India’s first law minister.
However, in 2015 the government redesignated November 26 as Constitution Day (Samvidhan Divas) to encourage citizens to uphold constitutional ideals. The change coincided with the 125th birth anniversary of Ambedkar, who is widely regarded as the principal architect of the Constitution.
That year, the Press Information Bureau issued a statement noting that Constitution Day would form part of nationwide commemorations honouring Ambedkar’s legacy and his pivotal contribution to drafting the Constitution.
This will be a tribute to Dr Ambedkar, who played a seminal role in the framing of the Indian Constitution as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly.”
The Indian Constitution was formally adopted on November 26, 1949. After two months, on January 26, 1950, it came into effect, and the day was declared as Republic Day, Indian Express reported.
How Constitution of India was adopted: A timeline
The drafting of the Indian Constitution was a thorough and inclusive effort. The Constituent Assembly, which was responsible for framing the document, worked for 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days to complete it. In the course of this work, more than 7,600 amendments were put forward, and around 2,400 of them were eventually approved after the Assembly spent 114 days discussing the draft.
A brief sequence of major events leading up to the adoption of the Constitution is as follows:
* 1934: Manabendra Nath Roy is said to have proposed the idea of creating a Constituent Assembly to frame India’s constitution. The following year, the Indian National Congress reportedly made this one of its official demands.
* 1946: The Constituent Assembly was formed according to the scheme laid out in the Cabinet Mission Plan.
* December 9, 1946: The Assembly met for the first time in the Constitution Hall, now known as the Central Hall of Parliament, with 207 members in attendance, including nine women.
* December 13, 1946: Jawaharlal Nehru introduced the “Objectives Resolution,” which was later adopted unanimously as the Preamble on January 22, 1947.
* August 29, 1947: The Drafting Committee was set up to prepare the draft constitution. Chaired by B. R. Ambedkar, it was one of more than 17 committees working under the Constituent Assembly.
*November 4, 1948: B. R. Ambedkar is said to have presented the first Draft Constitution before the Constituent Assembly.
*November 26, 1949: The Constituent Assembly met for its final session, during which the Constitution was formally adopted.
*January 24, 1950: Members of the Assembly signed what would be the final version of the Constitution.
*January 26, 1950: The Constitution came into force.
Key amendments
India’s Constitution now contains 395 Articles, arranged into 25 Parts and 12 Schedules, shaped over time through various amendments. Among these, several are commonly regarded as especially important.
Landmark cases shaping the Constitution
Since the Constitution came into existence, a number of Supreme Court and other judicial rulings have significantly had an impact on this supreme law of the land. Below is a list of ten such cases that are widely regarded as having played a transformative role.
Constitution Day celebrates the historic establishment of the nation's supreme law. While the day commemorates its journey thus far, India still has a long way to go in tackling the very complex social and economic concerns that exist in its varied population.
However, the Constitution, in its current form, serves as both a safeguard and a framework for discussion. Undoubtedly, its enduring strength is its ability to adapt while maintaining the underlying ideals that unite the country.