This class is for students beginning their formal study of Constitutional Law and seeking to understand the character of the Indian Constitution. The session will explore the long-standing debate on whether the Indian Constitution is federal or unitary, analyzing the distribution of powers, the role of the judiciary, and the Constitution’s flexibility in times of crisis. Students will also study the provisions on citizenship, including the original framework under Part II and changes brought by successive amendments such as the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The principles of Rule of Law, Separation of Powers, and Constitutional Supremacy will be examined with the help of leading case laws, giving students a comparative perspective with other democratic systems.
Students should bring the bare act of the Constitution of India and prepare to read key Articles (5–11, 12–13, 50, 246) for discussion. By the end of this class, they will gain clarity on the unique nature of the Indian Constitution—a federal system with a unitary bias and strong centralizing features.