Assembling Indias Constitution: A New Democratic History by Rohit De & Ornit Shani [Hardcover]

This book offers a fresh interpretation of the making of the Indian Constitution by arguing that it was not shaped solely by the debates within the Constituent Assembly. Instead, it demonstrates how ordinary citizens, social groups, activists, and communities across India actively participated in and influenced constitutional thinking and nation-building.

The authors show that constitution-making was a broad public process in which diverse groups used constitutional ideas to demand rights, seek justice, and shape the future of independent India. The book also explains how this widespread public engagement helped give the Constitution its legitimacy and contributed to the resilience of Indian democracy.