The important silent features that you might not know about the Indian constitution as listed below:
1. The Constitution of India is a comprehensive document and probably the lengthiest written Constitution in the world. It contains 395 Articles and 12 Schedules.
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2. It is designed to work as a federal constitution in normal times, and as a unitary one in emergency.
3. It establishes a parliamentary system of government both at the Centre and in the States. The President is the constitutional Head of State and the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister is the real executive which is responsible to the Lok Sabha. In the States, the Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister is responsible to the Legislative Assembly.
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4. It introduces adult franchise (i.e. every adult of the age of 18 and above has been given the right to vote) and it also introduces the system of joint electorates.
5. It guarantees Fundamental Rights to all citizens of India.
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6. It lays down the ‘Directive Principles of State Policy’ for the guidance of the governmental authorities in the country.
7. It provides for an independent judiciary; the Supreme Court acts as the guardian of the Constitution.
8. Another feature of the Constitution is that it makes India a secular State. There is no State religion and no religion is given any privilege. Nehru was a leading champion of the concept of the secular State.
9. The Indian Constitution is neither very rigid nor very flexible. It is a unique combination of flexibility and rigidity. A major part of the Constitution can be amended by Parliament by a two-thirds majority of members of each chamber present and voting and that majority must also be the majority of total membership of each chamber.
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There are some important provisions for the amendment of which the consent of at least half of the States is also required. In special circumstances, the Constitution can be adjusted without resorting to formal amendment. For example, the Rajya Sabha can transfer any State subject to the Centre in national interest.
For this purpose, it has to pass a resolution by a two-thirds majority of members present and voting. Again, during an Emergency the President can suspend the autonomous status of the states.