Preamble of the Indian Constitution: History, Sources, Components

In the mosaic of India’s constitutional framework, the Preamble stands tall as a guiding beacon, encapsulating the aspirations, values, and objectives of our nation. Moreover, the Preamble is usually and proudly referred to as the Soul of the Indian Constitution. It serves as a Preamble not only as the legal document but also to our Nation’s journey towards justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity. Let us dive deeper into the essence of the Preamble of the Indian Constitution.

The Preamble (picture taken at Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, Delhi)

What is the Timeline and History of the Preamble?

Our Preamble is based on the Objective Resolution. 

Timeline of the Preamble of our Indian Constitution
Timeline	Date
Jawaharlal Nehru moved in the Constituent Assembly	13th of December, 1946
Accepted by the Constituent Assembly	22nd of January, 1947
Adopted by the Constituent Assembly	26th of November, 1949 (National Constitution Day)
Came into Force	26th of January, 1950 (Republic Day)

What are the Amendments to the Preamble of the Indian Constitution?

During the Emergency, the 42nd Amendment on the 18th of December, 1976 added the words, Secular and Socialist to the existing ‘Sovereign Democratic Republic.’ Additionally, “unity and integrity of the Nation” was added to “unity of the Nation.” 

Moreover, in 1994, through the S. R. Bommai v. Union of India case, the Supreme Court of India declared that Secularism constitutes an integral component of the Basic Structure Doctrine.

It is intriguing to note that in a Constitution Amendment Bill, in the winter session of parliament in 2021, a legislator, KJ Alphons proposed the introduction of a Bill aimed at amending the Preamble.

Also Read: Article 21: Right to Life and Right to Personal Liberty

Which Artists Created the Preamble?

The Preamble page was designed by the artist Beohar Rammanohar Sinha of Jabalpur. At the time, Sinha was collaborating with Acharya Nandalal Bose at Shantiniketan. Moreover, Nandalal Bose, who decorated the original manuscript of the Indian Constitution wholeheartedly approved of Sinha’s artwork without making any alterations. Consequently, Sinha’s brief signature “Ram” in the Devanagari script adorns the lower-right corner of the Preamble. 

The calligraphy of the Indian Constitution was entirely written by Prem Behari Narain Raizada. He was a generational calligraphist with his grandfather’s name as well as his own written at the end of our Indian Constitution. 

Also Read: Making of the Indian Constitution

What are the Sources of the Preamble?

The Sources of the Preamble are as follows:

• The idea of a Preamble has been borrowed from The Constitution of the United States of America. 
• The Constitution of the Soviet Union (now Russia) gave us the ideal of ‘Justice, social, economic and political’
• The French Constitution gave ‘Republic’ and the ideals of ‘Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.’

Also Read: Sources of the Indian Constitution

What are the Components of the Preamble?

The Preamble starts with the declaration, “We, the people of India,” accentuating the Sovereignty of the Indian people, whilst marking a departure from British colonial rule. Moreover, the Preamble outlines the core principles and objectives that the Indian Constitution seeks to uphold:

• Sovereign: Declaring India’s complete independence from any foreign authority.
• Socialist: Reflecting the commitment towards a welfare state, hence making sure of equal distribution of resources and opportunities.
• Secular: Establishing India’s impartiality towards all religions to encourage a harmonious as well as inclusive society.
• Democratic: Glorifying the principles of representative Democracy, thus securing governance by the people, for the people, and of the people.
• Republic: Establishing India as a sovereign republic, with elected representatives accountable to the people.
• Justice: Striving for social, economic, and political justice and hence ensuring equality before the law.
• Liberty: Guaranteeing individual freedom of thought, expression, belief, faith, and worship.
• Equality: Promoting equality of status and opportunity, irrespective of caste, creed, gender, or economic status.
• Fraternity: Nurturing a spirit of brotherhood and unity among all people which transcends barriers of religion, language, and region.

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