Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: 1, 2 and 3
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
The Constitution of India is celebrated every year on 26 January, because that is the date on which it fully came into force and India formally became a republic. However, some important parts of the Constitution were brought into operation earlier, on 26 November 1949, the day the Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution. This question tests understanding of which specific provisions became effective on that earlier date and why fundamental rights were not part of that initial enforcement.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The framers decided that certain transitional and structural provisions needed to operate immediately so that the new constitutional machinery could be prepared by the time the full Constitution commenced. These included provisions relating to citizenship, elections, and the functioning of the provisional Parliament and interim arrangements. Fundamental rights and many other substantive parts of the Constitution, however, came into force on 26 January 1950. Therefore, the approach is to recall which provisions are explicitly mentioned in the schedule of enforcement and to see that they cover citizenship, elections, and provisional Parliament, but not the entire chapter on fundamental rights.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949.
Step 2: Remember that certain articles came into operation immediately, mainly those dealing with citizenship, elections, and provisional arrangements for Parliament and the executive.
Step 3: Identify that citizenship provisions were necessary so that the new polity could define who would be considered citizens of India on the date the Constitution commenced.
Step 4: Recognise that election provisions had to be operational to conduct elections under the new constitutional framework.
Step 5: Understand that the provisional Parliament provisions were required to ensure continuity of law making during the transition from Dominion status to a republican Constitution.
Step 6: Recall that the full set of fundamental rights in Part III came into force on 26 January 1950 along with the rest of the Constitution, and were not operational on the adoption date in November.
Step 7: Conclude that items 1, 2, and 3 were enforced on 26 November 1949, while item 4 was not, and select the option listing 1, 2, and 3.
Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by consulting the enforcement clause and schedules in standard constitutional references, which explain that articles such as those relating to citizenship, elections, and provisional Parliament formed part of a limited set of provisions that began on 26 November 1949. Commentaries and exam oriented books often highlight that fundamental rights were fully enforceable only from 26 January 1950. This division of dates is emphasised in many introductory chapters on Indian polity, which confirm that 1, 2, and 3 belong to the early enforcement group whereas fundamental rights belong to the later date.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The option that lists 2, 3, and 4 incorrectly includes fundamental rights, which did not come into force on 26 November 1949. The option that lists 1 and 3 only leaves out election provisions, which were crucial for organising democratic institutions under the new Constitution. The option that lists 1 and 2 only omits the provisional Parliament provisions that ensured continuity of legislation. All these combinations fail to capture the complete set of provisions that were actually enforced early.
Common Pitfalls:
A common error is to assume that either the entire Constitution came into force on 26 November 1949 or that all important parts waited until 26 January 1950. Some students also incorrectly think that fundamental rights were operative from the adoption date simply because of their importance. Another pitfall is forgetting about the role of provisional Parliament and treating it as a minor detail. To avoid confusion, it is useful to remember a simple phrase: adoption and partial enforcement on 26 November 1949 for citizenship, elections, and provisional arrangements, and full enforcement including fundamental rights on 26 January 1950.
Final Answer:
On 26 November 1949 the Constitution brought into force provisions relating to citizenship, elections, and the provisional Parliament, that is, items 1, 2, and 3, while fundamental rights came into effect later on 26 January 1950.
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