Constitution of India

Arun K Thiruvengadam is a Professor of Law at the School of Policy and Governance, Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, India.

... unlike other legal scholarship, the book is written in crisp language. Anyone seriously interested in the working of India’s institutions must not miss this one.

• INTRODUCTIONI. The Constitution of India and Its Special Significance II. Approach and Orientation of the Book III. Brief Outline of Chapters 1. ORIGINS AND CRAFTING OF THE CONSTITUTION I. Introduction II. The Mughals and the East India Company (1550–1857) III. The British Raj and Colonial Forms of Constitutional Government (1858–1947)—A Bird’s Eye View IV. The Nationalist Movement and the Build-up of Attempts at Constitution Making (1895–1947)—A Worm’s Eye View V. Crafting a Constitution for Independent India: The Work of the Constituent Assembly VI. Conclusion Further Reading 2. THE EXECUTIVE AND PARLIAMENT I. Introduction II. Brief Overview of Relevant Constitutional Provisions III. Pre-history, Colonial Experiences and Debates within the Constituent Assembly IV. Brief Overview of Evolution of the Indian Political Landscape through the Prism of Electoral Resultsand Party Politics V. The Changing Role of Parliament in Indian Constitutional Democracy VI. Significant Judicial Pronouncements on Constitutional Provisions Relating to the Executive and Parliament VII. Conclusion Further Reading 3. FEDERALISM AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT I. Introduction II. The Colonial Period and Its Influence on Later Constitutional Developments Relating to Federalismand Local Government III. Understanding the Centralising Bias within the Constituent Assembly IV. The Structure and Content of Provisions in the Indian Constitution on Federalism and their EvolutionOver Time V. The Structure and Content of Provisions in the Indian Constitution on Local Government and theirEvolution Over Time VI. Conclusion Further Reading 4. FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS, DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES AND THE JUDICIARY I. Introduction II. Relevant Constitutional Provisions: Textual Categorisation and Analysis III. The Constitutional History of Provisions Relating to Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles and theJudiciary IV. The Supreme Court and Its Role as Guardian of the Rights Provisions (1950–2016) V. The Crisis of Backlog and Delay in the Indian Judiciary VI. Conclusion Further Reading 5. TECHNOCRATIC CONSTITUTIONAL INSTITUTIONS I. Introduction II. Reflecting on the Motivations of the Framers for Entrenching Technocratic Constitutional Institutions III. The Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General IV. The Election Commission of India V. The Introduction of New Regulatory Institutions in the Aftermath of the Constitutional Moment of 1991 VI. Conclusion Further Reading 6. CONSTITUTIONAL REGULATION OF INDIA’S MULTIPLE IDENTITIES I. Introduction II. Relevant Constitutional Provisions III. Relevant Constitution-making History IV. Post-independence Evolution of the Law on the Markers of Indian Identity V. Conclusion Further Reading 7. CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE I. Introduction II. Relevant Constitutional Provisions and Constitutional History III. Constitutional Practice in Relation to the Amending Power in India: An Overview and Analysis of Trends(1950–2016) IV. Constitutional Interpretation as a Source of Constitutional Change V. Constitutional Change through Constitutional Moments VI. Conclusion Further Reading CONCLUSION I. Introduction II. A Brief Overview of Prime Minister Modi’s Tenure (2014–17) through a Constitutional Lens III. Assessing India’s Constitutional Trajectory Across Seven Decades (1947–2017) IV. Concluding Reflections Further Reading