Constitution of India - Key Terms (Vocabulary)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and dates related to the Constitution of India from the lecture notes.

Constitution of India

A comprehensive document describing the rights and duties of citizens and the powers, structure, and functioning of the three organs of government (legislative, executive, judiciary).

Sovereign Democratic Republic

India's status since January 26, 1950: a self-governing, democratic republic.

Three organs of government

Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary; their powers and interrelations are defined by the Constitution.

Constituent Assembly

Body that drafted and adopted the Constitution on November 2, 1949; served as provisional Parliament until elections in 1951–52.

Citizenship provisions

Clauses relating to who is a citizen; some came into force immediately; included registering displaced persons after Partition.

January 26, 1950

The date on which the Constitution came into force and India became a Republic.

Constitution Day (Samvidhan Divas)

A day to promote the values of the Constitution; observed on November 26; proclaimed by the government in 2015.

Rajagopalachari

C. Rajagopalachari, the last Governor-General of India, who succeeded Mountbatten.

Lord Mountbatten

The last Viceroy of British India and the first Governor-General of independent India.

Rajendra Prasad

President of the Constituent Assembly and later the first President of the Indian Union.

Lahore Session (1929)

Congress session in December 1929 that declared Poorna Swaraj (Complete Independence) as its objective.

Poorna Swaraj / Complete Independence

Congress’s objective proclaimed in 1929 for full independence from British rule.

Independence Day (1930)

January 26, 1930 was fixed as the first Independence Day and celebrated until 1947.

Independence Day (1947)

August 15, 1947—the day India achieved independence from British rule.

Republic Day

January 26, 1950—the day the Constitution came into force and India became a Republic.