Sources of Indian Constitution - Indian Polity Notes

Indian Constitution came into existence on 26th November 1949. The Constituent Assembly of India drafted the constitution considering features of constitutions of the other countries as well as from the Government of India Act 1935. There are various sources of Indian constitution for some features of it are borrowed.

Sources of Indian Constitution – Indian Polity Notes
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There was no hesitation to learn from the experiences of other nations, hence, the Indian Constitution has various features that are borrowed from other nations.

The topic ‘Sources of Indian Constitution’ is important for IAS Exam and its three stages- Prelims, Mains and Interview. Even if questions are not asked from this particular section in the past, knowing the sources of Indian Constitution will help aspirants write well for their Mains GS Paper-II for political science subject, and optional papers.

This article will mention the details about all the sources of the Indian Constitution and what all features are borrowed from them.

Sources of the Indian Constitution – Features Borrowed

Indian Constitution has absorbed those features from other nations’ constitutions that suited Indian problems and aspirations. Constituent Assembly took the best of features from everywhere and made them its own.

Our constitution has features taken from the Government of India Act, 1935. Those features are:

• Federal Scheme
• Office of governor
• Judiciary
• Public Service Commissions
• Emergency provisions
• Administrative details

The other borrowed provisions from different countries and details of those are given in the table below:

• Concurrent list
• Freedom of trade, commerce and intercourse
• Joint-sitting of the two Houses of Parliament

• Federation with a strong Centre
• Vesting of residuary powers in the Centre
• Appointment of state governors by the Centre
• Advisory jurisdiction of the Supreme Court

• Directive Principles of State Policy
• Nomination of members to Rajya Sabha
• Method of election of the president

• Procedure Established by law

• Fundamental duties
• Ideals of justice (social, economic and political) in the Preamble

• Parliamentary government
• Rule of Law
• Legislative procedure
• Single Citizenship
• Cabinet system
• Prerogative writs
• Parliamentary privileges
• Bicameralism

• Fundamental rights
• Independence of judiciary
• Judicial review
• Impeachment of the president
• Removal of Supreme Court and High Court judges
• Post of vice-president

• Suspension of Fundamental Rights during emergency

• Procedure for amendment in the Indian Constitution
• Election of members of Rajya Sabha

• Republic
• Ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity in the Preamble

The topic is important for UPSC 2024 and IAS aspirants preparing this exam must read it carefully and prepare notes accordingly.

Is Indian Constitution a Borrowed Bag?

Indian Constitution is a unique document drafted after a hard work of three years of the constituent assembly. Though some features of the Indian constitution are borrowed from other nations, it is still wrong to say that it is a bag of borrowing.

Reasons to not call the Indian Constitution a bag of borrowing are given below:

• There are various provisions borrowed from other nations but they are absorbed in the Indian Constitution to suit its polity and governance. They are not exactly copied.
• Indian Constitution is the most detailed constitution of the world. Where the American Constitution has only seven articles, Australian Constitution 128 articles, Indian Constitution originally consisted of 395 articles which have now increased to 448 articles.
• Indian Constitution is unique in its content and spirit.
• It is drafted considering the historical perspective of Indian Nationalist struggles, the geographical diversity of India, and its traditional and characteristics which are totally different from any other nation.

Sources of Indian Constitution – Indian Polity Notes
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UPSC Questions related to Sources of Indian Constitution

Directive Principle of State Policies are borrowed from which constitution?

Directive Principles of State Policies are borrowed from the Irish Constitution. To read more about the Directive Principles of State Policies, check the linked article.

Which provision has been borrowed by Weimar Constitution>

Suspension of Fundamental Rights during an emergency.

From where, the ideals of justice (social, economic, political) in the Indian Preamble taken?

These were taken from the Soviet Constitution, now Russia.

Concept of Public Service Commissions is borrowed from which government act in the Indian Constitution?

Government of India Act 1935 (To read more about the Public Service Commission, check the linked article.)