How January 26 became our Republic Day

At a time when most institutions of Governance have suffered grave loss of legitimacy, the Indian Constitution has continued to command respect.

As India celebrates its 60th year of being a Republic on the 26th January 2010, let us take a look at the architects of the Indian Constitution and how they gave our country the right start that was strong enough to keep it together in war and peace. (AFP Photo)

Although India obtained its independence on 15 August 1947, it did not yet have a permanent constitution. Instead, its laws were based on the modified colonial Government of India Act 1935. The country was a Dominion, with George VI as head of state and Earl Mountbatten as Governor General. (AFP Photo)

The Republic Day, one of the three national holidays in India, marks the adoption of the Constitution of India and the transition of India from a British Dominion to a Republic on January 26, 1950.

However, the process of evolution of Constitution began much earlier than 1947. Its origin is closely related to India's struggle for Independence from British rule.

Way back in 1895 the leaders of India's freedom struggle Annie Besant and Lokmanya Tilak had put forward a document called Constitution of India Bill (also known as Home Rule Bill) which envisaged freedom of expression and equality before law.

In February 1924, Motilal Nehru introduced and passed a resolution outlining the procedure for drafting and adopting a Constitution for India in the Central Legislative Assembly.

The Nehru Report submitted on 10th August 1928 was in effect an outline of a draft Constitution of India.

It envisaged equal rights to men and women regardless of caste, class, religion or region, free elementary education, freedom of expression to all etc. The secular character of the State was listed as a fundamental right. However, Quaid-i-Azam and other Muslim leaders condemned the Nehru Report.

The revolutionary idea that framing of Constitution should be made by a Constituent assembly elected with widest possible franchise and not by a nominated body of legal experts, first propounded by M.N.Roy and Jawaharlal Nehru began to gain ground.

Congress included it in the election manifesto for 1936-37 elections to provincial legislatures. The British however, agreed to it only in 1945 after the end of second world war.

Congress had to agree to the Cabinet Mission's scheme of the elected provincial assembly members electing the members of Constituent Assembly as till then such elections had never been held.

Eventually, Congress won a huge majority of seats in the Constituent assembly. (AFP Photo)

The first session of the Constituent Assembly was held on December 9, 1946 and was attended by 207 members.

Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected as Chairman.

The Assembly formed different sub committees dealing with different aspects of the Constitution. The most important Drafting Committee was under the Chairmanship of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar.

After long and painstaking deliberations and several modifications lasting for 166 days in a period of about 3 years the Constituent Assembly approved the draft Constitution on November 26 1949.

The longest written Constitution of the World became law on January 26 1950. The Constitution lays down a set of rules to which the ordinary laws of the country must conform. It provides a framework for a democratic and Parliamentary from of Government and provides a list of Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles.

Though, there have been certain reservations on the way the Indian Constitution came into force. Critics glared the lack of representation of the marginalized including the scheduled caste and scheduled tribes as well as the gender bias prevalent in the process of electing members for the Constituent Assembly.

The Muslim League continued to oppose the Constituent Assembly raising the demand for a separate State. Even though it won a big majority of Muslim seats, it never took part in the deliberations of the Assembly. (AFP Photo)

Despite the odds, the Indian Constitution's unambiguous commitment to a democratic, secular, equitable, civil libertarian society will be the anchor of support on which India can confidently face and conquer any upheaval. (AFP Photo)