News: On 9 December 2025, the nation marks the 79th anniversary of the first meeting of India’s Constituent Assembly, a historic moment that laid the foundation for the Indian Republic.
About Indian Constituent Assembly
- The Constituent Assembly was created in 1946 through the British Cabinet Mission Plan.
- It was tasked with drafting the Constitution for independent India, as part of the anti-colonial freedom movement.
- Origin: The concept of a Constituent Assembly was first proposed by M.N. Roy in 1934, long before India gained independence.
- It gained momentum when the Indian National Congress officially demanded it in 1935.
- The British government eventually agreed to the demand in the August Offer of 1940, and the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946 further detailed the structure of the Assembly.
- The Constituent Assembly first convened on 9 December 1946, marking the beginning of the journey to create a free and democratic India.
- Composition: The Constituent Assembly initially had 389 members as per the Cabinet Mission Plan. 296 members were from the provinces and 93 were from the princely states.
- Following the Partition in 1947, the Assembly’s membership reduced to 299. 229 members represented the 12 British Indian provinces.
- 70 members represented the Princely States and 6 members represented backward tribes.
- Allocation of seats in the Constituent Assembly: Seats were allocated based on population and community, ensuring representation for different groups, including Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and others.
- Notable Members: Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected President of the Constituent Assembly.
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar played the most crucial role as Chairman of the Drafting Committee.
- Other significant leaders included Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, K.M. Munshi, and Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar.
- 15 women members, including Hansa Mehta, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, and Dakshayani Velayudhan.
- Dominated by upper-caste members, but also had significant Dalit representation, notably B.R. Ambedkar and others like S. Nagappa and Dakshayani Velayudhan (the only Dalit woman in the Assembly).
- Political Affiliation: Around 80% of members were elected on a Congress ticket.
- The Assembly had members from across the political spectrum, including socialists like K.T. Shah, conservatives like Syama Prasad Mookerjee (Hindu Mahasabha), and liberals like Minoo Masani.
- How were the members of the Constituent Assembly elected?
- Members were indirectly elected by the Provincial Legislative Assemblies, which had been elected under the Government of India Act, 1935.
- The election was conducted using proportional representation through the single transferable vote system.
- Duration and Sessions: The Constituent Assembly first convened on 9 December 1946. It took 2 years and 11 months to draft the Constitution, with 11 sessions and a total of 166 days of deliberations.
- Committees and Plenary Sessions: The drafting of the Constitution occurred at two levels:
- Committees: Smaller groups tasked with drafting specific sections of the Constitution.
- Plenary Sessions: The full Assembly met to discuss the reports of various committees, propose and vote on amendments.
- Adoption of the Constitution: The Constitution of India, 1950 was adopted after extensive deliberations and amendments.
