Formation of the Constituent Assembly

• The idea of a Constituent Assembly was first proposed by M.N. Roy in 1934.
• The demand was officially accepted in 1940 (August Offer).
• The Constituent Assembly was formed under the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946.

Composition of the Constituent Assembly (Initially 389 Members)

• Elections were held in July 1946 (Congress won 208 out of 296 seats).
• Muslim League boycotted initially but later joined.
• After Partition (1947), members from Pakistan left, and total strength was reduced to 299.

First Meeting and Key Members of the Constituent Assembly

• First meeting: 9 December 1946 (Presided by Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha, the temporary chairman).
• Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected permanent President on 11 December 1946.

Committees of the Constituent Assembly

The Constitution was drafted through various committees, the most important being:

Drafting of the Constitution

• The Drafting Committee was appointed on 29 August 1947.
• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee.
• The first draft was prepared on 21 February 1948 and published for public comments.
• The final draft was adopted on 26 November 1949.

Key Facts About Drafting

• Took 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days to complete.
• 114 sessions were held.
• Total Articles: 395 (originally), Parts: 22, Schedules: 8.

Adoption and Enforcement of the Constitution

• Adopted on 26 November 1949.
• Came into force on 26 January 1950 (Republic Day).
• Why 26 January? -> Chosen to honor the Purna Swaraj Declaration (26 January 1930).

Objectives Resolution (1946) – Basis of the Preamble

• Introduced by Jawaharlal Nehru on 13 December 1946.
• Adopted on 22 January 1947.
• Became the foundation of India’s Preamble.

Key Features of the Objectives Resolution

• Declared India as an Independent, Sovereign Nation.
• Promised justice, equality, and fundamental rights.
• Laid the foundation for a democratic republic.

Salient Features of the Indian Constitution

The Indian Constitution is unique because it borrows from various sources while maintaining its own identity.

Key Features

• Longest Written Constitution – 395 Articles, 22 Parts, 8 Schedules (originally).
• Draws from Multiple Sources – British, American, Canadian, Irish, etc.
• Parliamentary System of Government – Based on the Westminster Model (UK).
• Quasi-Federal Structure – Federal with a strong Centre.
• Fundamental Rights & DPSPs – Inspired by the USA and Ireland.
• Single Citizenship – Unlike the USA, Indian citizens have only one citizenship.
• Integrated and Independent Judiciary – Supreme Court, High Courts, and District Courts.
• Universal Adult Franchise – Voting rights to all citizens aged 18+ (originally 21+).
• Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) – Guidelines for governance (not enforceable in court).
• Emergency Provisions – President can assume special powers in crises.

Criticism of the Constituent Assembly

• Not a Representative Body – Members were indirectly elected.
• Not a Sovereign Body – Created under the Cabinet Mission Plan.
• Too Much Time Taken – Almost three years to draft.
• Congress-Dominated – Limited opposition participation.
• Ignored Social Revolution – Focused more on administrative structure than radical social change.

Important Dates for Quick Revision

Key Takeaways for UPSC

• The Constituent Assembly was formed under the Cabinet Mission Plan (1946).
• Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the President, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee.
• The Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949 and enforced on 26 January 1950.
• The Objectives Resolution (1946) became the Preamble of the Constitution.
• It took 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days to draft the Constitution.
• The Constitution had 395 Articles, 8 Schedules, and 22 Parts at the time of adoption.

Final Summary Table