Explore authoritative country profiles on the constitutions of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives. Each guide is organised around state identity, fundamental rights, parliament, executive authority, courts, emergency powers and constitutional amendment procedures.
This is the central regional index for Constitution Watchdog’s South Asian constitution profiles. It helps readers move quickly from a country overview to article-aware constitutional analysis, comparative dockets and primary constitutional texts.
Primary-text orientedBuilt around constitutional identity, article structure and institutional design.
Comparative by designUses the same lenses across each country to support disciplined regional reading.
Public-interest referenceWritten for citizens, researchers, journalists, lawyers, students and institutions.
Coverage
7 country profiles
Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives.
Legal focus
Constitution-first
State identity, rights, institutions, courts, emergency and amendment rules.
Reading mode
Comparative
Built to support cross-country constitutional comparison across South Asia.
Audience
Public & expert
Accessible for general readers, precise enough for legal and policy research.
Overview
South Asian constitutional country profiles
South Asia contains highly diverse constitutional arrangements: parliamentary republics, federal systems, unitary republics, a federal democratic republic and a democratic constitutional monarchy. These country profiles provide a disciplined starting point for understanding how each constitution organises sovereignty, fundamental rights, representative institutions, courts and constitutional change.
Each profile is designed to answer the questions readers usually ask first: What kind of state is this? Where are fundamental rights located? Who exercises executive power? How is parliament structured? What is the role of the judiciary? How are emergencies declared? How can the constitution be amended?
Profile of Bangladesh’s Constitution: republican state identity, fundamental principles, fundamental rights, Parliament, executive government, Supreme Court, emergency powers and Article 142 amendment procedure.
Guide to India’s Constitution: sovereign socialist secular democratic republic, Union and States, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles, Parliament, President, Council of Ministers, Supreme Court and Article 368 amendments.
Overview of Pakistan’s 1973 Constitution: federal parliamentary system, Islamic constitutional identity, fundamental rights, Majlis-e-Shoora, President, Prime Minister, superior courts and Article 239 amendment rules.
Profile of Sri Lanka’s 1978 Constitution: unitary state, sovereignty of the people, Buddhism and religious freedom, fundamental rights, Parliament, executive presidency, judiciary, emergency and amendment framework.
Guide to Nepal’s 2015 Constitution: federal democratic republican state, secular inclusive framework, fundamental rights and duties, President, Council of Ministers, Federal Parliament, courts and Article 274 amendments.
Profile of Bhutan’s 2008 Constitution: sovereign kingdom, democratic constitutional monarchy, Druk Gyalpo, Parliament, National Council, National Assembly, fundamental rights, environment, judiciary and Article 35 amendments.
Guide to the Maldives Constitution of 2008: unitary democratic republic, Islam as State religion, People’s Majlis, President, Cabinet, judiciary, fundamental rights, independent commissions, emergency powers and amendment procedure.
Union Parliament, federal distribution and Supreme Court.
By research use
Use case
Best starting point
Rights comparison
Start with Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Maldives.
Federalism
Compare India, Pakistan and Nepal.
Executive power
Compare Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh and India.
Constitutional monarchy
Start with Bhutan’s 2008 Constitution profile.
Frequently asked questions
What is included in each country profile?
Each page summarises constitutional identity, rights and duties, institutional design, legislative and executive structure, courts, emergency powers, amendment procedure and notable constitutional features.
Which countries are available now?
The current index covers Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives.
Is this page useful for constitutional comparison?
Yes. It is designed as a comparative gateway so readers can move country by country while tracking the same constitutional questions across the region.
Who is this page for?
The profiles are written for citizens, students, researchers, journalists, lawyers, policy analysts and institutional users who need a reliable constitutional starting point.
