The ultimate law of the land is the Indian Constitution, which was ratified on January 26, 1950. It establishes the framework that outlines fundamental rights, guiding principles, and citizen responsibilities. It also defines political principles and the structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions. Article 1 of Indian Constitution serves as the introduction and a basis for comprehending the subsequent articles.
Article 1 of Indian Constitution Elimination Of Such Schedules
- The Constitution’s seventh amendment, adopted in 1956, did away with the border dividing the states into Part A and Part B.
- States were eventually reorganized by their respective languages.
- As a result, several new states were established, including Goa, Mizoram, Haryana, and Nagaland. 28 States and 8 UTs make up the nation as it exists today.
Territory of India
As stated in Article 1, “India, that is, Bharat, shall be a Union of States.” In other words, states and union territories make up the federal union that is India. It acknowledges the existence of several states and union territories within the nation, highlighting the idea of unity in diversity.
The article goes on to say that any land that the Indian government may decide to acquire is included in the country’s territory, along with the areas of the states and union territories. This clause permits the addition or modification of territories by the requirements and choices made by the government.
States in India
There are eight union territories and twenty-eight states in India. Every state has an elected legislature and government that are in charge of running the state. The State List contains a list of topics on which the states have the authority to enact laws, including local government, public health, law enforcement, and agriculture.
States can also levy taxes and collect other forms of revenue to fund their welfare and development initiatives. They are critical to the nation’s overall growth and governance.
Union Territories in India
Union territories, however, are directly under the jurisdiction of the federal government. They have no elected government of their own and are administered by an administrator selected by the President of India. The President may appoint an administrator or lieutenant governor for each union territory.
There are two types of union territories: those that have a legislative assembly and those that do not. Union territories possessing a legislative assembly enjoy a limited degree of autonomy, enabling them to enact laws concerning specific subjects. Union territories are under direct federal government authority in the absence of a legislative assembly.
Due to their direct subordination to the national government, the union territories have a special place in Indian governance. They frequently act as administrative, defensive, or strategically significant hubs.
India or Bharat?
There has long been historical debate over whether the Indian subcontinent is better known as Bharat or India. There were additional suggestions made regarding the nation’s name. The Vishnu Purana and other Indian literary works contain references to the name Bharat. This name wasn’t always used, though. A significant section of the populace addressed the name Bharat for thousands of years. As a result, India was considered a potential name for the nation in 1950.
Before the 1949 Constitutional Assembly, the nation was referred to as Bharat, India, and Hindustan. A significant number of members favoured the previous name, India, while others thought the new name, Bharat, was preferable. As a result, the Constituent Assembly had to choose between the two, leading to the declaration “India, that is, Bharat.”
Conclusion
India is established in Article 1 of Indian Constitution as a “Union of States,” signifying unity in diversity. It describes the federal structure of the country, which includes both states and union territories. The seventh amendment abolished the separation of states into Parts A and B, resulting in linguistic restructuring and the formation of new states. To understand India’s political and administrative structure, one must first grasp Article 1.
