Working of the Constituent Assembly: Simple Notes
- First Meeting:
- Date: December 9, 1946.
- Muslim League boycotted (didn't
attend) because they wanted Pakistan.
- Only 211 members attended.
- Temporary President:
Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha (oldest member, followed French
tradition).
- Permanent President:
Later, Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected President.
- Vice-Presidents:
H.C. Mukherjee and V.T. Krishnamachari (two
Vice-Presidents).
- Objectives Resolution:
- Moved by Jawaharlal Nehru on December
13, 1946.
- What it was:
A statement of the basic ideas and goals for India's Constitution.
- Key Points of the Resolution:
- India to be an Independent Sovereign
Republic.
- India to be a Union of British
India, Indian States, and other willing territories.
- States to be autonomous units
with powers, except those given to the Union.
- Power comes from the people
of India.
- All people of India guaranteed justice
(social, economic, political), equality, freedom (thought,
expression, belief, etc.).
- Safeguards for minorities,
backward classes, tribal areas.
- Maintain integrity of India's
territory and sovereign rights.
- India to contribute to world peace
and welfare.
- Adopted:
Unanimously on January 22, 1947.
- Importance:
Shaped the Constitution and its modified version became the Preamble.
- Changes due to Independence Act (1947):
- Princely States Join:
Representatives of princely states started joining after initially
staying away. Most joined after the Mountbatten Plan (June 3, 1947) for
partition. Muslim League members from Indian areas also joined.
- Indian Independence Act (1947) Impact:
- Sovereign Body:
Assembly became completely independent to make any constitution.
Could even change British laws for India.
- Legislative Body Too:
Assembly had two jobs:
- Making the Constitution (Constituent
body).
- Making ordinary laws for the country
(Legislative body/Parliament).
- Worked as both on different
days.
- First Parliament of Free India
(Dominion Legislature).
- Chairpersons:
- Constituent body meetings: Dr.
Rajendra Prasad.
- Legislative body meetings: G.V.
Mavlankar.
- Two roles until Constitution making
finished (November 26, 1949).
- Reduced Membership:
Muslim League members from Pakistan areas left.
- Assembly strength reduced to 299
(from original 389).
- Indian provinces members: reduced from
296 to 229.
- Princely states members: reduced from
93 to 70.
- Other Functions of the Constituent
Assembly: (Besides Constitution & Laws)
- Ratified India's Commonwealth membership
(May 1949).
- Adopted National Flag
(July 22, 1947).
- Adopted National Anthem
(January 24, 1950).
- Adopted National Song
(January 24, 1950).
- Elected Dr. Rajendra Prasad as first
President of India (January 24, 1950).
- Time and Cost:
- 11 Sessions
in total.
- 2 years, 11 months, 18 days
to make the Constitution.
- Studied Constitutions of about 60
countries.
- Draft Constitution considered for 114
days.
- Total cost: ₹64
lakh.
- Final Session & Provisional
Parliament:
- Final session:
January 24, 1950.
- Didn't end, became Provisional
Parliament of India from January 26, 1950.
- Continued as provisional parliament
until new Parliament formed after first elections (1951-52).
In Simple Words: The
Constituent Assembly was set up to make India's Constitution. It started in
1946, even before India was fully independent. Key moments were the Objectives
Resolution (setting goals) and changes after the Independence Act, which made
it fully powerful. It did two jobs: making the Constitution and acting as the
first Parliament. Besides the Constitution, it also adopted the flag, anthem,
song, and elected the first President. It took almost 3 years and cost ₹64
lakh to complete the Constitution. After finishing the Constitution, it acted
as India's temporary Parliament until the first elections.