Polity
Constitutional Development (1773–1950)
The Constituent Assembly (1946–1950)
Constituent Assembly for CGPSC: Cabinet Mission scheme, composition, committees, Drafting Committee, key dates, Chhattisgarh's members and criticisms.
Prerequisites
- Crown Rule II: 1919 to Independence (1947): the Cabinet Mission Plan and the Indian Independence Act that created and then freed the Assembly.
- Preamble and Salient Features: read next; the Objectives Resolution on this page became the Preamble.
The Hook: From Raipur to the Constitution Hall
Connect
When the Constituent Assembly met in the Constitution Hall (today’s Central Hall of the old Parliament House) in New Delhi, the Chhattisgarh region sent men as different as Pandit Ravishankar Shukla, the Premier of the Central Provinces and Berar, and Thakur Ramprasad Potai, a tribal leader from Kanker. Another member from the region, Ghanshyam Singh Gupta (घनश्याम सिंह गुप्त) of Durg, led the committee that produced the Hindi translation of the Constitution.
How was this Assembly chosen, how did it work, and how did it turn a 1935-style colonial frame into a republican Constitution in under three years?
Why it matters: Prelims asks dates, chairpersons of committees, numbers (389, 299, 284) and members of the Drafting Committee. Mains asks whether the Assembly was representative and sovereign, and how it built consensus. The Chhattisgarh members are a natural state-specific question.
The Idea of a Constituent Assembly
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1934 | M.N. Roy first put forward the idea of a Constituent Assembly for India |
| 1935 | The Indian National Congress officially demanded a Constituent Assembly |
| 1938 | Nehru declared that the constitution of free India must be framed by a Constituent Assembly elected on the basis of adult franchise, without outside interference |
| 1940 | August Offer: the British accepted the demand in principle |
| 1942 | Cripps Mission: an elected body to frame a constitution after the war (rejected) |
| 1946 | Cabinet Mission Plan: the Assembly was finally constituted |
Composition Under the Cabinet Mission Plan (1946)
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total strength | 389 seats: 296 for British India and 93 for the princely states |
| British India’s 296 | 292 from the eleven Governors’ provinces and 4 from the four Chief Commissioners’ provinces (one each) |
| Basis | Seats allotted in proportion to population, roughly one seat for every million people |
| Communities | In each province, seats were divided among Muslims, Sikhs and General (all others) in proportion to their population |
| Method (British India) | Elected indirectly by the members of the provincial legislative assemblies, by proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote, each community voting separately for its own seats |
| Method (princely states) | Representatives nominated by the heads of the princely states |
| Nature | Partly elected and partly nominated; elected indirectly, not by adult franchise |
Elections (July–August 1946) for the 296 British India seats: Congress 208, Muslim League 73, small groups and independents 15. The princely states did not join at first.
Strength after Partition
After the Mountbatten Plan (3 June 1947), members from the areas that went to Pakistan left to form Pakistan’s own Constituent Assembly. The Indian Assembly’s strength fell to 299: 229 from the provinces and 70 from the princely states. The Assembly included 15 women members over its life.
How the Assembly Worked: Key Dates
timeline
title Making of the Constitution
9 Dec 1946 : First meeting (211 members)
: Sachchidananda Sinha temporary President
11 Dec 1946 : Rajendra Prasad elected President
13 Dec 1946 : Objectives Resolution moved by Nehru
22 Jan 1947 : Objectives Resolution adopted
22 Jul 1947 : National Flag adopted
29 Aug 1947 : Drafting Committee set up (Ambedkar)
Feb 1948 : Draft Constitution published
26 Nov 1949 : Constitution adopted and enacted
24 Jan 1950 : Final session - 284 signatures, President elected
26 Jan 1950 : Constitution comes into force| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 9 December 1946 | First meeting, attended by 211 members. The Muslim League boycotted it. Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha, the oldest member, was elected temporary President, following the French practice |
| 11 December 1946 | Dr. Rajendra Prasad elected President. H.C. Mukherjee and V.T. Krishnamachari later served as the two Vice-Presidents. Sir B.N. Rau was the Constitutional Adviser |
| 13 December 1946 | Nehru moved the Objectives Resolution (उद्देश्य प्रस्ताव) |
| 22 January 1947 | Objectives Resolution adopted unanimously; a modified version later became the Preamble |
| 22 July 1947 | National Flag adopted |
| 29 August 1947 | Drafting Committee set up under Dr. B.R. Ambedkar |
| February 1948 | Draft Constitution published. Indians had about eight months to discuss it |
| 4 November 1948 | First reading of the Draft begins (Ambedkar introduces it) |
| 26 November 1949 | Third reading ends; the Constitution is adopted. The Preamble records this as the date of adoption, enactment and self-giving |
| 24 January 1950 | Final session: 284 members sign the Constitution; National Anthem and National Song adopted; Rajendra Prasad elected the first President of India |
| 26 January 1950 | The Constitution comes into force ("date of commencement") |
Why 26 January?
On 26 January 1930, following the Lahore session (December 1929), the Congress celebrated Purna Swaraj (complete independence) Day. The Constitution was brought into force on that anniversary. 26 November has been observed as Constitution Day (संविधान दिवस) since 2015.
Provisions in force on 26 November 1949 itself: citizenship, elections, the provisional Parliament, temporary and transitional provisions and the short title (Articles 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 60, 324, 366, 367, 379, 380, 388, 391, 392 and 393). The rest came into force on 26 January 1950.
In numbers
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Sessions | 11 |
| Days of sitting | 165, of which 114 on the Draft Constitution |
| Time taken | About 2 years, 11 months and 18 days (some sources count 17 days) |
| Amendments to the Draft | About 7,635 tabled, about 2,473 actually discussed |
| Expenditure | About ₹64 lakh |
| Signatures on 24 January 1950 | 284 |
| Original Constitution | Preamble, 395 articles in 22 parts, 8 schedules |
The Assembly After Independence: Two Roles
The Indian Independence Act, 1947 made the Assembly a fully sovereign body, able to make any constitution and repeal any British law. It also became the first legislature (Dominion Legislature) of free India:
| Role | Presided over by |
|---|---|
| Constituent body (making the Constitution) | Dr. Rajendra Prasad |
| Legislative body (making ordinary laws) | G.V. Mavalankar |
After 26 January 1950 the Assembly continued as the Provisional Parliament until the first Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were formed after the general elections of 1951–52.
Other work done by the Assembly: ratified India’s membership of the Commonwealth (May 1949); adopted the National Flag, National Anthem and National Song; elected the first President.
Committees of the Constituent Assembly
Major committees
| Committee | Chairman |
|---|---|
| Union Powers Committee | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Union Constitution Committee | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| States Committee (for negotiating with the princely states) | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Provincial Constitution Committee | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel |
| Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, Minorities and Tribal and Excluded Areas | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel |
| Drafting Committee | Dr. B.R. Ambedkar |
| Rules of Procedure Committee | Dr. Rajendra Prasad |
| Steering Committee | Dr. Rajendra Prasad |
Sub-committees of the Advisory Committee
| Sub-committee | Chairman |
|---|---|
| Fundamental Rights | J.B. Kripalani |
| Minorities | H.C. Mukherjee |
| North-East Frontier Tribal Areas and Assam Excluded and Partially Excluded Areas | Gopinath Bardoloi |
| Excluded and Partially Excluded Areas (other than those in Assam) | A.V. Thakkar (“Thakkar Bapa”) |
The Thakkar sub-committee dealt with the excluded and partially excluded (tribal) areas of the provinces outside Assam. Its work fed into the Fifth Schedule, which today governs the Scheduled Areas of Chhattisgarh (Tribes of Chhattisgarh).
Some minor committees
| Committee | Chairman |
|---|---|
| Finance and Staff Committee | Rajendra Prasad |
| Ad hoc Committee on the National Flag | Rajendra Prasad |
| Credentials Committee | Alladi Krishnaswamy Ayyar |
| House Committee | B. Pattabhi Sitaramayya |
| Order of Business Committee | K.M. Munshi |
| Committee on the Functions of the Constituent Assembly | G.V. Mavalankar |
The Drafting Committee (प्रारूप समिति): seven members
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (Chairman)
- N. Gopalaswamy Ayyangar
- Alladi Krishnaswamy Ayyar
- Dr. K.M. Munshi
- Syed Mohammad Saadullah
- N. Madhava Rau (replaced B.L. Mitter, who resigned on health grounds)
- T.T. Krishnamachari (replaced D.P. Khaitan, who died in 1948)
Ambedkar was first elected to the Assembly from Bengal. After Partition that seat went to East Pakistan, and he was re-elected from Bombay. For steering the Draft through the Assembly he is called the Father (chief architect) of the Indian Constitution.
Chhattisgarh in the Constituent Assembly
Members associated with the Chhattisgarh region included:
| Member | Note |
|---|---|
| Pandit Ravishankar Shukla (पं. रविशंकर शुक्ल) | Premier of the Central Provinces and Berar from 27 April 1946; later the first Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh (1956) |
| Ghanshyam Singh Gupta (घनश्याम सिंह गुप्त) | From Durg. Chairman of the committee appointed in 1947 to prepare the Hindi translation of the Constitution, and of the expert committee that revised it |
| Barrister Thakur Chhedilal (ठाकुर छेदीलाल) | Barrister and freedom fighter from the Bilaspur region |
| Thakur Ramprasad Potai (रामप्रसाद पोटाई) | Tribal leader from Kanker; represented the princely states; raised Adivasi concerns in the Assembly |
| Kishori Mohan Tripathi (किशोरी मोहन त्रिपाठी) | Represented the Eastern States group of princely states |
| Raghuraj Singh (रघुराज सिंह) | Also listed among the members from the region |
The Hindi Constitution
A Hindi translation of the Constitution, signed by the members, was published in 1950 under the authority of the President of the Assembly. Much later, the 58th Amendment (1987) added Article 394A, which provides for an authoritative text in Hindi. Ghanshyam Singh Gupta’s committee is the starting point of this story.
Analysis for Mains: Was It Representative? Was It Sovereign?
Criticisms
| Criticism | Reply |
|---|---|
| Not representative: members were not elected by universal adult franchise | Adult franchise elections were impossible in 1946. Members came from all communities, regions and ideologies, and the Assembly sought public comment on the Draft for eight months |
| Not sovereign: created by a British plan | The Indian Independence Act (1947) made it fully sovereign; it repealed that Act itself through Article 395 |
| Dominated by the Congress | Granville Austin called it a one-party body in an essentially one-party country, but the Congress itself held many views, and non-Congress figures such as Ambedkar led the drafting |
| Lawyer-politicians | Few other professions were present, which critics say explains the Constitution’s length and legal language |
| Time-consuming | Nearly three years, but the US Convention had a much smaller task; the time went into consensus |
| Hindu-dominated | A criticism made by some, but the Assembly gave detailed protection to minorities (Arts 25–30) and rejected separate electorates |
What made it work
- Consensus and accommodation instead of majority voting on contentious issues (language, minorities, federalism).
- Expert committees with clear terms of reference, then line-by-line debate.
- Borrowing with adaptation: about 60 constitutions were consulted, and the 1935 Act was used as the frame.
Chhattisgarh angle: The region’s members included both the elected leadership of a British province (Shukla, Gupta, Chhedilal) and representatives of tribal princely states (Potai). That mix mirrors the Fifth Schedule compromise: one Constitution for the whole country, with special protection for Scheduled Areas such as Bastar and Surguja.
Memory Tricks
The numbers ladder
389 → 299 → 284: planned strength (Cabinet Mission) → strength after Partition → signatures on 24 January 1950.
And 296 + 93 = 389; 229 + 70 = 299.
Drafting Committee: 'A GAMS' + replacements
Ambedkar, Gopalaswamy Ayyangar, Alladi, Munshi, Saadullah, plus Madhava Rau (for Mitter) and T.T. Krishnamachari (for Khaitan).
Who chaired what
Nehru = Union (Powers, Constitution, States). Patel = Provinces and People (Provincial Constitution; Advisory Committee on rights and minorities). Prasad = Procedure (Rules, Steering, Finance, Flag). Ambedkar = Draft.
Don’t Confuse
| This | vs | That |
|---|---|---|
| Sachchidananda Sinha: temporary President (9 Dec 1946) | vs | Rajendra Prasad: permanent President (11 Dec 1946) |
| Rajendra Prasad: presided as constituent body | vs | G.V. Mavalankar: presided as legislative body |
| B.N. Rau: Constitutional Adviser (prepared the first draft) | vs | B.R. Ambedkar: Chairman of the Drafting Committee |
| J.B. Kripalani: Fundamental Rights sub-committee | vs | Sardar Patel: the parent Advisory Committee |
| 26 Nov 1949: adopted; some articles in force | vs | 26 Jan 1950: commencement of the whole Constitution |
| 22 July 1947: National Flag adopted | vs | 24 Jan 1950: National Anthem and Song adopted |
Common Mistakes
MCQ traps
- “Members were directly elected by the people.” False. They were elected indirectly by provincial assemblies, and princely state members were nominated.
- “The Assembly had 389 members when it adopted the Constitution.” False. 389 was the Cabinet Mission figure; after Partition it was 299, and 284 signed.
- “Ambedkar chaired the Fundamental Rights Committee.” False. Patel chaired the Advisory Committee and Kripalani the Fundamental Rights sub-committee. Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee.
- “The whole Constitution came into force on 26 November 1949.” False. Only a few articles (citizenship, elections, provisional Parliament and similar) did; the rest on 26 January 1950.
- “The Drafting Committee had seven original members including T.T. Krishnamachari.” TTK joined later, replacing D.P. Khaitan.
Practice
All questions below are original practice questions written in CGPSC style. They are not previous-year questions.
Level 1: Foundation
- The Objectives Resolution was moved by ______ on ______ 1946.
- The temporary President of the Constituent Assembly was ______.
- The member from the Chhattisgarh region who chaired the committee for the Hindi translation of the Constitution was ______.
Answers
- Jawaharlal Nehru, 13 December 1946 (adopted 22 January 1947)
- Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha
- Ghanshyam Singh Gupta
Level 2: Prelims MCQs
Q1. Consider the following statements about the Constituent Assembly of India:
- Its members from British India were elected directly by the people on the basis of adult franchise.
- Representatives of the princely states were to be nominated by the heads of those states.
- Seats in each province were divided among Muslims, Sikhs and General communities in proportion to their population.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer and explanation
(b) 2 and 3 only. Statement 1 is wrong: British India members were elected indirectly by the members of the provincial legislative assemblies through proportional representation by single transferable vote. Princely state representatives were nominated, and seats were divided by community in proportion to population.
Q2. Match List I (Committee of the Constituent Assembly) with List II (Chairman):
| List I | List II |
|---|---|
| A. Union Powers Committee | 1. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel |
| B. Provincial Constitution Committee | 2. J.B. Kripalani |
| C. Fundamental Rights Sub-committee | 3. Jawaharlal Nehru |
| D. Steering Committee | 4. Rajendra Prasad |
- (a) A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2
- (b) A-1, B-3, C-2, D-4
- (c) A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4
- (d) A-3, B-2, C-1, D-4
Answer and explanation
(c) A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4. Nehru chaired the Union Powers, Union Constitution and States Committees; Patel chaired the Provincial Constitution and Advisory Committees; Kripalani chaired the Fundamental Rights sub-committee; Rajendra Prasad chaired the Steering and Rules of Procedure Committees.
Q3. Which one of the following was not an original member of the Drafting Committee?
- (a) N. Gopalaswamy Ayyangar
- (b) Syed Mohammad Saadullah
- (c) T.T. Krishnamachari
- (d) K.M. Munshi
Answer and explanation
(c) T.T. Krishnamachari. He joined later, replacing D.P. Khaitan, who died in 1948. N. Madhava Rau similarly replaced B.L. Mitter.
Q4. On 24 January 1950, the Constituent Assembly:
- (a) adopted the National Flag
- (b) adopted the Objectives Resolution
- (c) elected Dr. Rajendra Prasad as the first President of India
- (d) appointed the Drafting Committee
Answer and explanation
(c). At its final session on 24 January 1950, members signed the Constitution, the National Anthem and National Song were adopted, and Rajendra Prasad was elected President of India. The flag was adopted on 22 July 1947, the Objectives Resolution on 22 January 1947, and the Drafting Committee was set up on 29 August 1947.
Q5. Which of the following persons were members of the Constituent Assembly from the Chhattisgarh region?
- Ravishankar Shukla
- Ghanshyam Singh Gupta
- Ramprasad Potai
- Gopinath Bardoloi
Select the correct answer using the code below:
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 1, 2 and 3 only
- (c) 2, 3 and 4 only
- (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer and explanation
(b) 1, 2 and 3 only. Shukla, Gupta and Potai (Kanker) were from the Chhattisgarh region. Gopinath Bardoloi was from Assam; he chaired the sub-committee on the North-East Frontier Tribal Areas and Assam’s excluded areas.
Level 3: Mains Answer Writing
Q1. (60 words) Write a short note on the Objectives Resolution.
Model answer outline
- Moved by Nehru on 13 December 1946; adopted unanimously on 22 January 1947.
- Declared India an independent sovereign republic; all power derived from the people; justice, equality and freedoms guaranteed; safeguards for minorities, backward and tribal areas and depressed classes; territorial integrity.
- A modified form became the Preamble; it set the philosophy of the Constitution.
Q2. (150–200 words) “The Constituent Assembly was neither representative nor sovereign.” Critically examine this view.
Model answer outline
- Intro: Formed under the Cabinet Mission Plan (1946): 389 seats, indirectly elected and partly nominated.
- The criticism:
- No universal adult franchise; elected by provincial assemblies chosen on a narrow franchise.
- Created under a British plan; princely members nominated by rulers.
- Congress dominance (208 of 296 seats in 1946).
- The counter-view:
- Members came from all communities, regions and ideologies; minorities, SCs, tribals and 15 women took part.
- The Draft was published for public discussion for eight months.
- The Indian Independence Act (1947) made it sovereign; it repealed that Act (Art 395) and drew its authority from “We, the People”.
- Decisions by consensus, not mere majority.
- Chhattisgarh angle: The region was represented both by provincial leaders (Ravishankar Shukla, Ghanshyam Singh Gupta, Thakur Chhedilal) and by a tribal representative from Kanker (Ramprasad Potai).
- Conclusion: Formally imperfect, substantively representative; the Constitution’s long life is the best answer to the criticism.
Quick Revision Table
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Idea first put forward | M.N. Roy, 1934 |
| Formed under | Cabinet Mission Plan, 1946 |
| Planned strength | 389 = 296 (British India: 292 + 4) + 93 (princely states) |
| Election | Indirect; provincial assemblies; PR by single transferable vote |
| 1946 results | Congress 208, League 73, others 15 |
| After Partition | 299 = 229 + 70 |
| First meeting | 9 Dec 1946; 211 members; Sachchidananda Sinha temporary President |
| President / Vice-Presidents | Rajendra Prasad (11 Dec 1946) / H.C. Mukherjee, V.T. Krishnamachari |
| Constitutional Adviser | B.N. Rau |
| Objectives Resolution | Moved 13 Dec 1946; adopted 22 Jan 1947 |
| Drafting Committee | 29 Aug 1947; 7 members; Ambedkar |
| Legislative sessions | Chaired by G.V. Mavalankar |
| Adopted | 26 Nov 1949 (Constitution Day since 2015) |
| Signed | 24 Jan 1950; 284 members |
| In force | 26 Jan 1950 |
| Totals | 11 sessions; 165 days; about 2 years 11 months 18 days; about ₹64 lakh |
| Original text | Preamble, 395 articles, 22 parts, 8 schedules |
| Chhattisgarh members | Ravishankar Shukla, Ghanshyam Singh Gupta (Hindi translation), Thakur Chhedilal, Ramprasad Potai, Kishori Mohan Tripathi, Raghuraj Singh |
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
- The Assembly was set up under the Cabinet Mission Plan (1946): 389 seats, indirectly elected and partly nominated; 299 after Partition.
- Key dates: 9 Dec 1946 (first meeting), 22 Jan 1947 (Objectives Resolution adopted), 29 Aug 1947 (Drafting Committee), 26 Nov 1949 (adopted), 26 Jan 1950 (in force).
- Nehru chaired the Union committees, Patel the provincial and rights committees, Prasad the procedural ones and Ambedkar the Drafting Committee.
- After 1947 the Assembly was both a sovereign constitution-maker (Prasad) and the Dominion Legislature (Mavalankar).
- Chhattisgarh’s members included Ravishankar Shukla, Ghanshyam Singh Gupta (Hindi translation), Thakur Chhedilal and Ramprasad Potai.
What’s Next
- Preamble and Salient Features: the philosophy and borrowed features of the Constitution the Assembly made
- Fundamental Rights: the work of the Patel and Kripalani committees
- Chhattisgarh: State Formation and Administration: how the region became a state in 2000 under the same Constitution
- Quick Revision: Constitutional Development
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