Mains Paper I · 2 Indian Constitution · APPSC Group 2
2.3 Salient features and Preamble notes
5 notes, in reading order.
- 2.3.1Salient features of the Constitution
India's Constitution is long, written and drawn from many sources; it sets up a parliamentary, federal system with a unitary bias, guarantees rights, and balances parliamentary power against judicial review.
Advanced · 7 min · Full course - 2.3.2Parliamentary system: Indian and British models
India took the British parliamentary (cabinet) system, in which the executive sits in and answers to the legislature, but adapted it to a republic with a written constitution and judicial review.
Advanced · 7 min · Full course - 2.3.3Federal system: federal and unitary features
India is a federation with a strong Centre: power is divided between the Union and the states under a written, supreme constitution, but many features let the Centre dominate, especially in emergencies.
Advanced · 7 min · Full course - 2.3.4Preamble: text, components and keywords
The Preamble states who made the Constitution (the people), what kind of state India is (sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic), what it aims at (justice, liberty, equality, fraternity) and when it was adopted (26 November 1949).
Advanced · 7 min · Full course - 2.3.5Preamble in the courts: Berubari to Kesavananda
The Supreme Court first said the Preamble was not part of the Constitution (Berubari, 1960), then held that it is part of it and can be amended without touching the basic structure (Kesavananda, 1973); it guides interpretation but is not enforceable on its own.
Advanced · 7 min · Full course
Practise Salient features and Preamble. Questions with answers explained, from the same topics.
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