Isabella Carter
The Indian Constitution, which came into force on 26 January 1950, was framed by the Constituent Assembly of India, a body of indirectly elected representatives established to draft a constitution for the country. The Constituent Assembly was formed under the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946 and held its first meeting on 9 December 1946. The Constituent Assembly of India was conceived and created by V. K. Krishna Menon, with the idea of a constituent assembly first proposed by M.N. Roy in 1934. The Assembly was not elected based on universal adult suffrage, and Muslims and Sikhs received special representation as minorities. The Constitution was drafted by a drafting committee, with B.R. Ambedkar as chair, and was signed by 284 representatives on 26 November 1949.
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What You'll Learn
The Constituent Assembly of India
The Constituent Assembly took almost three years to complete its task of drafting the Constitution for Independent India. During this period, it held eleven sessions covering a total of 165 days. The drafting of the Indian Constitution took place at two levels: committees and plenary. The committees comprised smaller groups of Assembly members tasked with preparing draft articles, reports, and notes on specific parts of the Constitution. At the plenary level, the Assembly sat in full strength and discussed the reports of various committees. Amendments were moved, debated, dropped, and adopted.
The Basic Framework of India's Constitution
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The role of women
The Indian Constitution was framed by the Constituent Assembly of India, which first met on December 9, 1946, and had 299 members. Popular narratives often portray the process as being driven solely by men, but 15 women were among those members, and they played a significant role in shaping the Indian Republic. These women have been referred to as the "founding mothers" of the Indian Constitution.
One of the 15 women was Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, a social reformer and freedom fighter who actively participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement of 1930 and was arrested several times. She was a prominent advocate for girls' education in villages and backward areas. After the adoption of the Indian Constitution, she served as a member of the Provincial Government of India until 1952.
Another was Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, a pioneering policymaker, activist, minister, ambassador, and diplomat who revolutionised the role of women in nation-building. In 1937, she became the first female Indian Cabinet Minister and played a key role in India's freedom struggle. She was one of the first leaders to call for an Indian Constituent Assembly to frame a Constitution.
Rukmini Devi Arundale was another member of the Constituent Assembly. She was a renowned classical dancer and choreographer, and a prominent advocate for animal rights and women's rights. She founded the Kalakshetra Foundation, a renowned institute for classical dance and music, and served as a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament, after independence.
Other notable women who contributed to the framing of the Indian Constitution include Durgabai Deshmukh, a social worker and activist who founded the Andhra Mahila Sabha, an organisation dedicated to the empowerment of women; Hansa Mehta, an educator and activist who served as the first Chairperson of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women; and Sarojini Naidu, a poet and political activist who was the first woman to become the President of the Indian National Congress and the Governor of the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh).
The contributions of these women, along with their male counterparts, helped shape the Indian Constitution, which came into force on January 26, 1950, and is celebrated as Republic Day in India.
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The Assembly's diversity
The Constituent Assembly of India was a diverse group of individuals with a wide range of ideologies and backgrounds. The Assembly first met on 9 December 1946 and had 207 members present, which grew to 299 members by December 1947. The Assembly was made up of elected and nominated individuals, with 229 members elected from 12 Indian provinces and 70 members nominated from 29 Princely States. The Assembly included prominent figures such as B.R. Ambedkar, who served as Chairman of the Drafting Committee, and B.N. Rau, the Constitutional Advisor to the Constituent Assembly. The Assembly also included a number of women members, who have been referred to as the 'mothers' of the Indian Constitution. These women, including Begum Aizaz Rasul, Ammu Swaminathan, and Dakshayani Velayaudhan, brought a distinct feminist perspective to the Assembly and advocated for women's rights.
The Assembly was not elected based on universal adult suffrage, but rather through indirect elections by the members of the Provincial Legislative Assemblies. The Assembly included special representation for Muslims and Sikhs as minorities. Despite the boycott of the Assembly by the Muslim League, 28 of its 73 members joined India's Constituent Assembly. In addition to the diversity of ideologies and backgrounds, the Assembly also included individuals from various professions, such as lawyers, journalists, politicians, and freedom fighters.
The Constituent Assembly of India has been described as "India in microcosm," reflecting the diversity and complexity of the country itself. The Assembly included members from different religious and cultural backgrounds, including Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians. This diversity was essential in shaping the Indian Constitution, as it allowed for a range of perspectives and experiences to be considered in the drafting process. The Constitution of India is the longest written national constitution in the world, with 145,000 words in its original form and 470 articles in its amended form. It reflects the Assembly's commitment to addressing the needs and conditions of the country and its people.
The Constituent Assembly of India played a pivotal role in shaping the country's future by drafting a constitution that laid the foundation for a sovereign, democratic republic. The Assembly's diversity, in terms of gender, religion, culture, and ideology, was a key strength that enabled the creation of a constitution that aimed to protect the rights and freedoms of all Indians and promote social and political justice. The constitution-making process in India is a testament to the country's commitment to inclusivity and representation, ensuring that the voices of all its citizens are heard and reflected in the nation's highest legal document.
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The Assembly's first task
The Constituent Assembly of India, consisting of indirectly elected representatives, was formed to draft a constitution for India. The Assembly's first task was to declare India an Independent Sovereign Republic and to draw up a Constitution for the country's future governance.
The Constituent Assembly was conceived and created by V. K. Krishna Menon, who first outlined its necessity in 1933. In 1934, M. N. Roy, a pioneer of the communist movement in India, first proposed the idea of a Constituent Assembly. In 1935, the Indian National Congress (INC) officially demanded a Constituent Assembly to frame the Constitution of India. In 1938, Jawaharlal Nehru, on behalf of the INC, declared that the Constitution of free India must be framed by a Constituent Assembly elected on the basis of adult franchise. The demand was accepted by the British Government in the 'August Offer' of 1940.
The Constituent Assembly of India was constituted under the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946 and held its first sitting on 9th December 1946. It was elected by the Provincial Assemblies of British India following the Provincial Assembly elections held in 1946 and nominated by Princely States. The Assembly had 299 members as of December 1947: 229 members were elected from 12 Indian Provinces, and 70 members were nominated from 29 Princely States. The Assembly was not elected based on universal adult suffrage, and Muslims and Sikhs received special representation as minorities. The Muslim League boycotted the Assembly, although 28 of its members out of 73 ended up joining India's Constituent Assembly.
The Constituent Assembly of India was tasked with framing the Constitution of India, which came into force on 26th January 1950, celebrated as Republic Day. The Assembly served as the provisional Parliament from 26th January 1950 until the first general elections in 1951-52 established the new Parliament. The Constitution was drafted by the Constitutional Advisor, B. N. Rau, and revised by the Drafting Committee, which was chaired by Ambedkar. The original Constitution was written in a flowing italic style by Prem Behari Narain Raizada, the calligrapher of the Indian Constitution.
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The Constitution's length
The Indian Constitution is the world's longest written national constitution for a sovereign nation. It was written between 9th December 1946 and 26th November 1949 and came into force on 26th January 1950, celebrated as Republic Day in India. The document lays down the framework for the fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions and sets out the fundamental rights, directive principles, and duties of citizens. It replaced the Government of India Act 1935 as the country's fundamental governing document, and the Dominion of India became the Republic of India.
The Constituent Assembly of India, consisting of 299 indirectly elected representatives, was established to draft the Constitution. The Assembly was conceived and created by V. K. Krishna Menon, who first outlined its necessity in 1933. The idea of a Constituent Assembly was first proposed by M. N. Roy in 1934, and officially demanded by the Indian National Congress in 1935. In 1938, Jawaharlal Nehru declared that the Constitution of free India must be framed by a Constituent Assembly elected on the basis of adult franchise. The demand was accepted by the British Government in the 'August Offer' of 1940.
The Constituent Assembly was formed for the purpose of writing a constitution for independent India. It was elected by the Provincial assemblies of British India following the Provincial Assembly elections held in 1946 and nominated by princely states. The Assembly was not elected based on universal adult suffrage, and Muslims and Sikhs received special representation as minorities. The Muslim League boycotted the Assembly, although 28 of its members out of 73 ended up joining India's Constituent Assembly.
The Constituent Assembly of India declared its firm and solemn resolve to proclaim India as an independent sovereign republic and to draw up a Constitution for future governance. The Assembly's first task was to free India through a new constitution, to feed the starving people, and to clothe the masses. The Constitution was adopted with a declaration in its preamble.
At its enactment, the Indian Constitution had 395 articles in 22 parts and 8 schedules. With about 145,000 words, it is the second-longest active constitution in the world. The amended constitution has a preamble and 470 articles, which are grouped into 25 parts. With 12 schedules and five appendices, it has been amended 106 times as of 28 September 2023. The constitution's articles are grouped into the following parts: Preamble, with the words "socialist", "secular", and "integrity" added in 1976 by the 42nd amendment; Part I – The Union and its Territory – Articles 1 to 4; Part XXII – Short title, date of commencement, authoritative text in Hindi and repeals – Articles 393 to 395. Schedules are lists in the constitution that categorise and tabulate bureaucratic activity and government policy.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constituent Assembly of India framed the Indian Constitution. It was a partly elected and partly nominated body.
M.N. Roy, a pioneer of the communist movement in India, first proposed the idea of a Constituent Assembly in 1934.
The Constituent Assembly was formed in 1946 under the Cabinet Mission Plan.
The Constituent Assembly had 389 members, including 292 representatives of the provinces, 93 representatives of the princely states, and 4 from the chief commissioner provinces.
The Constituent Assembly was established to draft a constitution for India and free India from British rule through a new constitution.
