Indian Constitution Test - 2

The Indian federation is similar to that of Canada.

A Federation is an association of States that forms a new one, and all the units and the Centre derive power from the Constitution. Federation is when a group or organisations join to form larger organisation and all its units, irrespective of their size, derive their power from the constitution, which cannot be altered by a single entity. The constitution also provides for the self-governing status of the units. India, US, Russia, and Belgium are all present-day federations.

According to the Preamble of the Indian Constitution,

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:

JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY, of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;

EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;
and to promote among them all

FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;
It does not deal with Education to men, children, and women.

The ideas of Concurrent List, Language of the Preamble and Freedom of Trade and Commerce have been borrowed from Australia.

The idea of secularism is one of the basic features of the Indian constitution. Secularism eliminates god from the matter of the state affairs, and ensures that none shall be discriminated against on the ground of religion.

The Indian Constitution has clearly distributed powers between the Union and the States, but the Centre has been given long list of exclusive powers. So, the Indian Constitution is regarded as federal in form and unitary in spirit.

The Indian Judiciary, as of today, is a continuation of the British legal system, established by the English in the mid-19th century. Before the arrival of the Europeans in India, it was governed by laws based on the Arthashastra, dating from 400 BC, and the Manusmriti from 100 AD. These were the influential treatises in India, texts that were considered authoritative legal guidance.

However, till today, the legacy of the British system is manifested from the fact that India falls into the genre of common law system. The procedure and substantive laws of the country, the structure and organisation of courts, etc, emanate from the common law system.

With the 42^nd Amendment of the Constitution of India enacted in 1976, the Preamble to the Constitution asserted that India is a secular nation.