Historical Context & Elections – UPSC Indian Polity Notes

Table of Contents

When the Constituent Assembly was established, India was still a part of British rule.

The Constituent Assembly was established following negotiations between Indian Political groups, and the members of the Cabinet Mission of 1946 sent from the United Kingdom.
After the provincial assembly elections in early 1946, the Constituent Assembly members were elected indirectly by the members of the newly elected provincial assemblies.
The Constituent Assembly had 389 representatives, including 15 women.
On the 2nd September of 1946, the interim government headed by Jawaharlal Nehru was formed.
The Congress Party held a large majority of the Constituent Assembly, with 69% of the seats.
The Muslim League held nearly all the seats, which were reserved for the Muslims in the Assembly.
Parties such as the Unionist Party of India, Communist Party of India, and the Scheduled Caste Federation were also a part of the Constituent Assembly.
In June of 1947, the provinces that were a part Section B & C, as proposed by the Cabinet Mission, like Sindh, Balochistan, North West Frontier Province, and East Bengal, called back their representatives.
Hence, the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan was formed with its meeting in Karachi.
On 15 August 1947, India was partitioned in the Dominion of India and the Dominion of Pakistan.
The members of the Constituent Assembly, who had not withdrawn, went on to form the Indian Parliament.

Constitution and Elections

The Assembly began its first session on 9th December 1946.
211 members attended the first meeting.
The Constituent Assembly approved the draft of the Constitution on 26th November 1949.
On 26th January 1950, the Constitution came into effect.
The Constituent Assembly, thus, became the Provisional Parliament of India, which continued till the first elections under the new constitution in 1952.

Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the first elected President of the Constituent Assembly.
HC Mukherjee was elected as the vice-president of the Constituent Assembly.
B.N. Rau was appointed as the constitutional advisor to the assembly.

Stage 1: Committees presented reports on issues
Stage 2: B.N. Rau prepared the initial draft based on the reported issues, and did his research into the constitution of other nations.
Stage 3: The drafting committee, chaired by B.R Ambedkar, presented a detailed draft of the Constitution, which was later published for public discussion.
Stage 4: Draft Constitution was discussed, and amendments were proposed and enacted.
Stage 4: The Constitution was adopted.

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