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What is Constitution Day and since when have we been celebrating it

India is celebrating the 69th year of the adoption of the Constitution of India on 26 November.

What is Constitution Day and since when have we been celebrating it

(Photo: Twitter/@IASassociation)

India celebrates the Constitution Day on 26 November every year. The Constitution of India was adopted on this day in 1949. At a special event held to mark 69 years of the historic occasion, President Ram Nath Kovind called for increased awareness about the Constitution among the people.

At the same event, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi warned that the nation would descend into chaos if the advice in the Constitution were not heeded.

Read More: President Ram Nath Kovind calls for increased awareness about Constitution 

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What is Constitution Day?

The Constitution Day is observed every year on 26 November to commemorate the day when the Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution of India in 1949. Chaired by Dr Rajendra Prasad, who later became the first President of India, the Constituent Assembly embarked on its historic journey towards framing India’s Constitution on 9 December 1946.

By 22 July 1947, the Constituent Assembly ad adopted the National flag and the Objective resolution, which was moved by Jawaharlal Nehru in December 1946. The Objective resolution later became the Preamble of the Constitution.

Fourteen days after India gained freedom from the British rule, the Constituent Assembly formed the Drafting Committee with Dr. BR Ambedkar as the Chairman.

On 26 November 1949, after over two years of the formation of the Drafting Committee, the Constitution was passed and accepted by the assembly.

The Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950.

Since when are we celebrating the Constitution Day?

Till 2015, India celebrated the day as Law Day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the 14th and current Prime Minister of India, announced on 11 October 2015 in Mumbai that the government will celebrate 26 November every year as Constitution Day. His decision coincided with the 125th birth anniversary year of Dr BR Ambedkar.

On 19 November 2015, the government made the decision official in a gazette notification. The first Constitution Day was therefore celebrated on 26 November 2015.

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