Swaraj Metkar IC

Name: Swaraj Metkar Roll no: 38
PRN: 1032212532
Name : ECE
Class: SY Deepesha sharad Pandhare
Roll no : 53 Div : C
Batcha : C4
IC Assignment
What is Constitution of India?
The Indian Constitution is unique in both spirit and content.
Notwithstanding the fact that several features of the constitution have
been borrowed from other constitutions from all around the world, it is
really a unique piece of work. The original constitution have been
considerably changed by the various amendments that have been brought
forth such as the 7th, 42nd, 44th, 73rd and 74th Amendments.
Constitution of India – Preamble

The first constitution to start with a preamble was the American
Constitution. The Indian constitution also starts with one. The Preamble is
basically the introduction or preface to the constitution. It sums up the
essence of the constitution. N A Palkhivala, a constitutional expert,
referred to the Preamble as the ‘Identity card of the Constitution’.
The Preamble is based on Pandit Nehru’s Objective Resolution that he
moved and was adopted by the Constituent Assembly. The Preamble has
been amended in 1976 by the 42nd Amendment which added words
‘socialist’, ‘secular’ and ‘integrity’ to it.
Seven Principles of the Constitution
The Framers of the Constitution constructed a new system of
government.Seven principles supported their efforts. To picture how these
principles work, imagine seven building blocks. Together they form the
foundation of the United States Constitution. In the pages that follow, you
will find the definitions and main ideas of the principles shown in the
graphic below.
1.Popular Sovereignty
“We the people of the United States . . .establish this Constitution for the
United States of America.” These words from the Preamble, or
introduction, to the Constitution clearly spell out the source of the
government’s power. The American form of government comes from a
school of political thought called classical liberalism, which emphasizes
freedom, democracy, and the importance of the individual. The
Constitution rests on the idea of popular so vereignty— a government in
which the people rule. As the nation changed and grew, popular
sovereignty took on new meaning. A broader range of Americans shared
in the power to govern themselves
2.Republicanism
The Framers of the Constitution wanted the people to have a voice in
government. Yet the Framers also feared that public opinion might stand in
the way of sound decision making. To solve this problem, they looked to
republicanism as a model of government. Republicanism is based on this
belief: The people exercise their power by voting for their political
representatives. According to the Framers, these lawmakers played the key
role in making a republican government work. Article 4, Section 4, of the
Constitution also calls for every state to have a “republican form of
government.” Civic Republicanism is the idea that citizens stay informed
about politics and participate in the process.
3.Federalism
The Framers wanted the states and the nation
to become partners in governing. To build
cooperation, the Framers turned to federalism.
Federalism is a system of government in which
power is divided between a central government
and smaller political units, such as states. In the
early years of the United States, federalism was
closely related to dual sovereignty, the idea that
the powers of the federal government and the
states were clearly defined, and each had
exclusive power over their own spheres with little
overlap. This view of federalism led to states’ rights conflicts, which were contributing
factors in the Civil War. The Framers used federalism to structure the
Constitution. The Constitution assigns certain powers to the national
government. These are delegated powerskept by the states are reserved
power shared or exercised by national and state governments are known
as concurrent powers.
4.Separation of Powers How Is Power Divided?
The Framers were concerned that too much power might fall into the
hands of a single group. To avoid this problem, they built the idea of
separation of powers into the Constitution. This principle means the
division of basic government roles into branches. No one branch is given
all the power. Articles 1, 2, and 3 of the Constitution detail how powers
are split among the three branches.
5.Checks and Balances How Is Power Evenly
Distributed?
Baron de Montesquieu, an 18th-century
French thinker, wrote, “Power should be
a check to power. ” His comment refers
to the principle of checks and balances.
Each branch of government can exercise
checks, or controls, over the other
branches. Though the branches of government are separate, they rely on
one another to perform the work of government. The Framers included a
system of checks and balances in the Constitution to help make sure that
the branches work together fairly. For example, only Congress can pass
laws. Yet the president can check this power by refusing to sign a law into
action. In turn, the Supreme Court can declare that a law, passed by
Congress and signed by the president, violates the Constitution.
6.Limited Government How Is Abuse of Power

Prevented?
The Framers restricted the power of government. Article 1, Section 9, of
the Constitution lists the powers denied to the Congress. Article 1, Section
10, forbids the states to take certain actions. The principle of limited
government is also closely related to the “ rule of law ” : In the American
government everyone, citizens and powerful leaders alike, must obey the
law. Individuals or groups cannot twist or bypass the law to serve their
own interests.
7.Individual Rights How Are Personal Freedoms

Protected?
The first ten amendments to the Constitution shield people from an overly
powerful government. These amendments are called the Bill of Rights.
The Bill of Rights guarantees certain individual rights, or personal liberties
and privileges. For example, government cannot control what people write
or say. People also have the right to meet peacefully and to ask the
government to correct a problem. Later amendments to the Constitution
also advanced the cause of individual rights.

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Swaraj Metkar IC

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Name: Swaraj Metkar Roll no: 38

Constitution of India – Preamble

6.Limited Government How Is Abuse of Power

7.Individual Rights How Are Personal Freedoms

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