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Indian Constituent Assembly: Facts & Formation
1. Origin and Chronological Development of the Idea
- 1895 (Initial Proposal): The concept was first proposed in the document ‘Swarajya Vidheyak’.
- 1934 (Early Call): The Swaraj Party made an earlier call for a Constituent Assembly at its Ranchi session.
- 1936 (Official Mooting): The idea was officially mooted and detailed by the Indian National Congress at its Faizpur session.
- 1946 (Formal Establishment): The Constituent Assembly was formally set up under the Cabinet Mission Plan.
2. Composition and Structure
- Total Strength: 389 members
- 292 from British Indian provinces
- 93 from princely states
- 4 from Chief Commissioners’ provinces
- Election (1946): Members from British Indian provinces were elected by the Provincial Assemblies in July-August 1946.
- Election Results:
- Indian National Congress: 208 seats
- Muslim League: 73 seats
- Independents and others: 15 seats
- Representation Ratio: One representative for every 10 lakh (1 million) persons.
- Electoral Colleges: Voters were divided into three groups: General, Muslim, and Sikh (the latter only in Punjab).
3. Key Sessions and Leadership
- First Session: Held on 9th December 1946.
- Temporary Chairman: Sachchidananda Sinha was appointed for the first session.
- Elected President: Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected as the permanent President on 11th December 1946.
- Sovereign Status: The Assembly became a sovereign body for the Dominion of India on 14th August 1947, with Dr. Rajendra Prasad as its President.
4. Key Committees and Their Chairmen
| Committee | Chairman |
|---|---|
| Drafting Committee | Dr. B. R. Ambedkar |
| Union Constitution Committee | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Union Powers Committee | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| States Committee | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, Minorities, Tribal and Excluded Areas | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel |
5. Adoption of the Constitution
- The Constitution of India was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26th November 1949.
6. Additional Individual Facts
- Sachchidananda Sinha: Besides being the temporary Chairman, he was also associated with the Quit India Movement.
- G.V. Mavlankar: He was the President (Speaker) of the Central Legislative Assembly (1946-1947) and later became the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha (1952-1956).
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