PREFACE
Dr. Ambedkar is the prime architect of free India’s Constitution which has served the country well for 44 years. A constitution is the grand norm of legislation. Laws made by the Parliament and the State legislatures are examined in the light of the paramount constitutional provisions. Preparation of the Constitution, therefore, is a matter of great importance. The existing constitutional provisions have their roots in the discussions that had taken place in the Constituent Assembly. This perception of the genesis of the Constitution is the first step towards its understanding. Dr. Ambedkar and the Constitution have become synonymous. The present volume contains the Draft Constitution as conceived by him. There have been some amendments afterwards with reference to the changing social context, but the basic features of the Constitution have remained unaltered. The life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness enshrined in the fundamental rights which are available to citizens constitute its basic features and there is the golden thread of humanism and reasonableness in its framework.
The Indian Constitution is a detailed document which takes cognizance of every aspect of the Government. Its detailed character is sometimes assailed by critics as a lawyer’s paradise. However, 44 years of its working has shown that the common man is the central theme of the Constitution. The reader will be able to appreciate the present Constitution in the light of the background material which is contained in the present volume. The originality of approach and masterly organisation of details