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Fact Sheet: The Indian Constituent Assembly
📌 The Idea and Formation
- 1st attempt for Indian Constitution – Nehru Report (1928)
- M.N. Roy (1934) first proposed Constituent Assembly
- Constituted as per Cabinet Mission Plan (1946)
- Elected indirectly by Provincial Legislative Assemblies (under GOI Act 1935)
- Members: 389 (292 Provinces, 93 Princely States, 4 Chief Commissioner Provinces)
- After Partition (1947): 299 Members
📅 Important Dates
- Formed: 6 Dec 1946
- First Meeting: 9 Dec 1946
- Objective Resolution: Presented 13 Dec 1946; Adopted 22 Jan 1947
- Adopted National Flag: 22 July 1947
- Adopted & Enacted Constitution: 26 Nov 1949
- Fully Implemented: 26 Jan 1950
- Last Meeting: 24 Jan 1950
- Total sittings: 11 sessions in 2 years, 11 months, 17 days
👤 Presidents and Contributors
- Provisional President: Dr. Sachchidanand Sinha
- Permanent President: Dr. Rajendra Prasad
- Vice Presidents: H.C. Mookerjee, V.T. Krishnamachari
- Constitutional Advisor: B.N. Rau
- Draftsman: S.N. Mukherjee
- Calligrapher: Prem Behari Narain Raizada
📖 Important Committees
- Drafting Committee – B.R. Ambedkar
- Union Power Committee – Jawaharlal Nehru
- Union Constitution Committee – Jawaharlal Nehru
- Provincial Constitution Committee – Vallabhbhai Patel
- Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights & Minorities – Vallabhbhai Patel
- Steering Committee – Rajendra Prasad
- Order of Business Committee – K.M. Munshi
📜 Constitution – Facts & Features
- Adopted: 395 Articles, 22 Parts, 8 Schedules
- Now: 448 Articles, 25 Parts, 12 Schedules
- Longest written Constitution in the world
- Blend of Liberalism, Socialism & Communitarianism
- FR = Liberalism; DPSP = Socialism & Communitarianism
- Vision: Caste-free, Class-free, Democratic society
- Granville Austin: Constitution = "Seamless web of Social Revolution, National Unity & Democracy"
💬 Famous Quotes
- “Article 356 is like a safety valve” – Ambedkar
- “Article 32 is the heart and soul of the Constitution” – Ambedkar
- “If things go wrong... Man was vile” – Ambedkar
- “Constitutional morality must be held higher than public morality” – Ambedkar
- Granville Austin: Indian Constitution as a “Seamless web” & “Social Document”
- Paul Brass: “Born more in fear and trepidation than in hope and inspiration”
- Ivor Jennings: “DPSP are like pious aspirations”