The Constituent Assembly

Demand for a constituent assembly – The idea for constituent assembly for India was given firstly by M.N Roy in 1934.

• Officially demand of constituent assembly by Indian National congress in 1935 for framing Constitution of India.
• In 1938- Jawaharlal Nehru declared that the Indian Constituent assembly will be elected by the adult franchise to frame the constituent of free India.
• This demand was accepted by the British- known as the ‘August Offer’ of 1940.

Composition of Constituent Assembly

• It was constituted in November 1946 under the Scheme of cabinet mission.
• The total strength of assembly was 389 out of this 296 were allotted to British India, 93- princely states.
• The elections for 296 seats allotted to British Indian Provinces were held in July- august 1946.
• Out of 296 seats, The Indian National Congress won 208 seats, the Muslim league- 73 seats, and other independent groups- 15 seats.
• Princely states of 93 seats did not fill as they decided to not involve in the constituent assembly.
• The first meeting of the constituent assembly held on December 9, 1946, the Muslim league boycotted and insisted on the formation of Pakistan.
• 211 members participated in the meeting, Dr. Schchidanand Sinha elected as Temporary President of the Assembly.
• Later Rajendra prasad elected as president of the assembly, and two vice presidents– H.C. Mukherjee and V.T.Krishnamachari.
• Mountbatten’s plan for the partition of the country was accepted on 28 April 1947.

The first cabinet of India after freedom (1947)

Additional functions performed by the constituent assembly

• The National Flag was adopted on 22^nd July 1947, National Anthem adopted on 24 January 1950, and the National song was also adopted on 24^th January 1950.
• Rajendra Prasad was elected as the first President of India on 24^th January 1950.
• Constituent assembly held 11 sessions in two years 11 months and 18 days.
• For the different tasks of constitution-making, many functional committees were appointed. Out of them, 8 were major committees and presidents were–
  • Union power committee- Jawaharlal Lal Nehru
  • union Constitution committee- Jawaharlal Nehru
  • Provincial constitution committee- Sardar Patel
  • Drafting Committee- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
  • Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, Minorities and Tribal and Excluded areas- Sardar Patel.
  • Rules of Procedure Committee- Dr. Rajendra Prasad
  • State Committee- Jawahar Lal Nehru.
  • Steering committee- Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
• The most important was the Drafting Committee with seven members-
  • B.R.Ambedkar (Chairman)
  • Gopalaswami Ayyangar
  • Alladi Krishnaswamy Ayyar
  • K.M.Munshi
  • Sayed Muhhamad Saudullah
  • Madhav Rao (Initially B.N.Mittal, resigned due to health issues)
  • T Krishnamacharya (After the death of DP Khaitan in 1948)
• The constitution adopted on 26 November 1949, consisting of a Preamble, 395 Articles, and 8 Schedules.
• Ambedkar called “The Father of Indian Constitution”.
• 26 January celebrated as Republic Day as the date of commencement of constitution having its historical importance- On 26 January 1930 was celebrated as Purna Swaraj (resolution of Lahore session December 1929)
• Important fact –
  • The elephant was a symbol of the constituent assembly.
  • N Rao was the constitutional advisor of the constitutional assembly
  • V.R. Iyenger was secretary of the constitutional assembly.
  • N.Mukherjee was chief Draftsman of the constitution of the constituent assembly.
  • The original constitution was handwritten in italic style by Prem Behari Narayan – calligrapher of the Indian constitution.

You can also read:

sources of the Indian constitution