SALIENT FEATURES OF CONSTITUTION
| 1. Lengthiest Written Constitution | Originally (1949), the Constitution contained a Preamble, 395 Articles (divided into 22 Parts) and 8 Schedules |
| 2. Drawn From Various Sources | The Constitution of India has borrowed most of its provisions from the Constitutions of various other countries as well as from the Government of India Act of 1935 |
| 3. Blend of Rigidity and Flexibility | A rigid Constitution is one that requires a special procedure for its amendment, as for example, the American Constitution. A flexible constitution, on the other hand, is one that can be amended in the same manner as the ordinary laws are made, as for example, the British Constitution. The Constitution of India is neither rigid nor flexible, but a synthesis of both. |
| 4. Federal System with Unitary Bias | (Art.1 Defines Union of States and not Federation of States)-usual features of a federation, viz., two governments, division of powers, written Constitution, supremacy of Constitution, rigidity of Constitution, independent judiciary and bicameralism. unitary or non-federal features, viz., a strong Center, single Constitution, single citizenship, flexibility of Constitution, integrated judiciary, appointment of state governor by the Center, all-India services, emergency provisions. |
| 5. Parliamentary Form of Government
(EXECUTIVES REMAIN RESPONSIBLE TO LEGISLATURE) |
The parliamentary system is also known as the ‘Westminster’ Model of Government, responsible Government and Cabinet Government. Even though the Indian parliamentary system is largely based on the British pattern, there are some fundamental differences between the two. For example, the Indian Parliament is not a sovereign body like the British Parliament. Further, the Indian State has an elected head (republic) while the British State has hereditary head (monarchy). |
| 6. Synthesis of Parliamentary Sovereignty and Judicial Supremacy | doctrine of sovereignty of Parliament is associated with the British Parliament, while the principle of judicial supremacy with that of the American Supreme Court |
| 7. Integrated and Independent Judiciary | single system of courts enforces both the central laws as well as the state laws, unlike in USA, where the federal laws are enforced by the federal judiciary and the state laws are enforced by the state judiciary |
| 8. Single Citizenship | Though the Indian Constitution is federal and envisages a dual polity (Center and states), it provides for only a single citizenship, that is, the Indian citizenship. |