Committees of the Constituent Assembly of India (1946–1949)

Simplified Overview

The Constituent Assembly formed multiple committees to draft India’s Constitution. These committees focused on different aspects of governance, rights, and structure. Here’s a breakdown:

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Major Committees

1. Union Powers Committee
• Chairman: Jawaharlal Nehru
• Role: Decided powers of the Central Government.
2. Union Constitution Committee
• Chairman: Jawaharlal Nehru
• Role: Framed the structure of the Central Government.
3. Provincial Constitution Committee
• Chairman: Sardar Patel
• Role: Designed the framework for state governments.
4. Drafting Committee
• Chairman: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (Father of the Indian Constitution)
• Role: Prepared the final draft of the Constitution.
• Members: 7 experts, including Alladi Krishnaswamy Ayyar and K.M. Munshi.
5. Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, Minorities, and Tribal Areas
• Chairman: Sardar Patel
• Sub-Committees:
• Fundamental Rights (J.B. Kripalani)
• Minorities (H.C. Mukherjee)
• Tribal Areas (Gopinath Bardoloi, A.V. Thakkar)
6. Rules of Procedure Committee
• Chairman: Dr. Rajendra Prasad
• Role: Set rules for Assembly debates and processes.
7. States Committee
• Chairman: Jawaharlal Nehru
• Role: Negotiated with princely states to join India.
8. Steering Committee
• Chairman: Dr. Rajendra Prasad
• Role: Managed workflow and coordination.

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Key Focus: Drafting Committee

• Members: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (Chairman), N. Gopalaswamy Ayyangar, Alladi Krishnaswamy Ayyar, K.M. Munshi, Syed Mohammad Saadullah, N. Madhava Rau, T.T. Krishnamachari.
• Process:
• First Draft: Published in February 1948; public given 8 months to suggest changes.
• Second Draft: Revised in October 1948 after public feedback.
• Timeline: Completed in 141 days over 6 months.

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Minor Committees (Examples)

1. Finance & Staff Committee: Managed funds and staff.
2. Ad-hoc Committee on National Flag: Designed India’s flag.
3. Linguistic Provinces Commission: Decided state boundaries based on language.
4. Committee on Citizenship: Defined citizenship rules.

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Why This Structure Worked

• Specialization: Each committee tackled specific areas (e.g., rights, states, finance).
• Democratic Input: Public feedback was incorporated into the Constitution.
• Leadership: Key leaders like Nehru, Patel, and Ambedkar ensured balanced representation.

Fun Fact: The Drafting Committee’s final document had 395 Articles and took 2 years, 11 months, and 17 days to complete!

Key Takeaway: These committees ensured India’s Constitution reflected diverse needs, rights, and governance structures, laying the foundation for the world’s largest democracy. 🌟