- The Constitution of India was enacted on 26th January 1950, celebrated as Republic Day.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJ&E) is the Nodal Ministry for the celebration of Constitution Day.
- 26 November 2023 marks the 74th Anniversary of adopting the Constitution of India.
Significance:
i.The Day aims to honour and acknowledge the invaluable contributions of the Founding Fathers to the Constitution.
ii.It serves as a reminder of the principles within the Indian Constitution and symbolises the nation’s strength in unity, diversity, and social justice.
Background:
i.On 19th November 2015, the MoSJ&E notified the decision of the Government of India to celebrate the 26th November of every year as ‘Constitution Day’ to promote Constitution values among citizens.
ii.2015 marked the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, chairman of the drafting committee of the Indian Constitution.
- He played a pivotal role in the drafting of the Constitution.
iii.The first-ever Constitution Day was observed on 26 November 2015.
Note: Previously this day was celebrated as Law Day. 26 November was chosen to spread the importance of the Constitution and to spread the thoughts and ideas of Dr. Ambedkar.
History:
i.The Constitution of India was framed by a Constituent Assembly set up under the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946.
ii.The Assembly held its first meeting on December 9, 1946, and elected Dr. Sachhidanand Sinha, the oldest member of the Assembly as the Provisional President.
- On 11 December 1946, the Assembly elected Dr Rajendra Prasad as its permanent Chairman.
iii.The Constituent Assembly set up 13 committees for framing the constitution including a Drafting Committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on 29 August 1947.
Note: 2023 marks the 132nd birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Indian Constitution.
Key Facts about the Indian Constitution:
i.Indian Constitution is one of the longest constitutions in the world and is the only constitution that was handwritten in 2 languages, English and Hindi.
- It provides a comprehensive framework to guide and govern the country.
ii.It is the world’s longest for a sovereign nation having 395 articles in 22 parts and 8 schedules at the time of its commencement.
- As of November 2023, the Indian constitution has 448 articles in 25 parts and 12 schedules and there have been 106 amendments to the Constitution of India since it was first enacted in 1950.
iii.It was entirely handcrafted by the artists of Shantiniketan under the guidance of Acharya Nandalal Bose, with the calligraphy texts done by Prem Behari Narain Raizada in Delhi.
- At about 145,000 words, it is the second-longest active constitution, after the Constitution of Alabama, in the world.
Note: The original copies of the Constitution of India are kept in special helium-filled cases in the Library of the Parliament of India.
Preamble to the Constitution:
i.It is a reflection of the core constitutional values that embody the Constitution.
ii.It declares India to be a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic committed to Justice, Equality, and Liberty for the people.
2023 Events:
i.President Droupadi Murmu commemorated National Constitution Day on 26 November 2023 by revealing a 7-foot statue of Dr. BR Ambedkar at the Supreme Court premises in New Delhi, Delhi.
- The statue, furnished in a lawyer’s attire, stands on a 3-foot base, with Dr Ambedkar holding a copy of the Constitution in hand.
ii.The Indian National Bar Association (INBA) hosted the 12th Annual International Conference titled “74th Constitution Day”, coinciding with the Indian Constitution Day celebrations, at the Constitution Club in New Delhi.
iii.The Ministry of Law and Justice, in collaboration with Indian Law Institute celebrated Constitution Day, at Vigyan Bhavan.
- During the event, two books titled ‘A Guide to Alternative Dispute Resolution’ and ‘Perspectives on Constitution and Development’ were launched.
- Debate on the theme ‘Limits to Liberty – Fundamental Rights vs Fundamental Duties’ for students of National Law Universities were organised as a part of the observance.
iv.National Tribal Research Institute (NTRI), New Delhi, hosted the Constitution Day Event, as part of the culmination of the Janjatiya Gaurav Utsav (15th – 26th November 2023).
CJI DY Chandrachud Launches FASTER 2.0 portal for Swift Release of Prisoners and Hindi Version of e-SCR
The Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud in commemoration of Constitution Day, introduced 2 new initiatives aimed at improving the efficiency of the judicial system. During an event, he launched the Fast and Secured Transmission of Electronic Records (FASTER) 2.0 portal and a Hindi version of the e-SCR (Supreme Court Reports) portal.
- FASTER 2.0 is designed to promptly communicate judicial orders for prisoner release to relevant authorities.
- The Hindi version of the e-SCR portal allows access to the Supreme Court’s judgments in Hindi and makes legal information more accessible and inclusive.
FASTER 2.0 Portal:
i.This application ensures that any judicial order for the release of a person is immediately transferred to the jail authority, to the district court, and to the high court via electronic means to ensure their timely release.
ii.The new digital facility also aims to overcome the time-consuming process of relying on physical order copies received through formal government channels.
Key People:
The event was also graced by President of India Droupadi Murmu.
- The event also featured the unveiling of a virtual justice clock, showcasing the current number of pending cases in the Supreme Court.
About Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment:
Union Minister– Virendra Kumar (Constituency- Tikamgarh, Madhya Pradesh)
Ministers of State(MoS)– Ramdas Athawale; A. Narayanaswamy; Pratima Bhoumik
