Constitution Flashcards
When did the constituent assembly come into existence?
The constituent assembly came into existence on 6 May 1946 under the Cabinet Mission plan
Content of the Constitution
It has 25 parts, 448 articles, 12 schedules, five appendices and 105 amendments
Who elected members of the constituent assembly?
By the members of provincial assembly by a single transferable vote, system of proportional representation
Total members of the constituent assembly
389
93 represented the princely states and
296 Seats were to be allotted to the British India, and four were from the chief Commissioner provinces of Delhi , Ajmer- merwara , Coorg and British Baluchistan

How many members were left after the partition?
299
Temporary chairman of the constituent assembly
Dr Sachchidananda Sinha
First President of the constituent assembly
Dr Rajendra Prasad
Vice president of the constituent assembly
Harendra Kumar Mukherjee
VT krishnamachari
The constituent assembly had two vice presidents
Constitutional advisor of the constituent assembly
BN Rau
Chairman of the drafting committee
Dr B R. Ambedkar.
When did the first meeting of the constituent assembly first meet
9 December 1946
When did Jawaharlal Nehru move the objective resolution which laid out the core team and vision of the Constitution
13 December 1946
When was the objective resolution adopted?
22 January 1947
How much time did it take to complete the Constitution
Two years 11 months and 17 days
How many sessions took place of the constituent assembly?
11 sessions
When was the draft of the constitution published?
The draft of the constitution was published on January 1948 and the people wear asked for their feedback and inputs between eight months
When was the constitution passed and adopted by the assembly?
26 November 1949
When did the Constitution came into effect?
January 26,1950
Why wait it from 26 November 1949 to 26 January 1950 for the Constitution to come into affect
Because congress used to celebrate Independence Day on 26 January since it demanded Purna Swaraj in its Lahore session in 1929
Philosophy of Indian constitution
Synthesis of liberal political ideology with communitarian and socialist ideology
• Individual Liberty ( FR) with socio-economic Justice( DPSP)
• Individual freedom and rights with societal Common Good- communitarianism
In the constituent assembly, who made a powerful appeal for continuing with the system of separate electorates
N pocker Bahadur
It was rejected
FR Vs DPSP debate , who pointed out in the constituent assembly
NG Ranga
When did idea of the constituent assembly for India was first put forward and by whom?
1934 by MN Roy
When did the Indian national congress for the first time officially demand a constituent assembly to frame the Constitution of India
1935
When was the demand for the constituent assembly, finally accepted by the British government
1940 , known as the August offer
When, and who came to India with a draft proposal of the British government, on the framing of an independent constitution to be adopted after the World War II?
Sir Stafford Cripps in 1942, his proposal was rejected by the Muslim league which wanted India to be divided into two autonomous states with two separate constituent assemblies
Results of the elections to the constituent assembly
Directions of the constituent assembly for which 296 seats allotted to the British Indian provinces were held in July August 1946.
The Indian national congress won 208 seats, the Muslim league, 73 seats and the small groups and independence got the remaining 15 seats. However, the 93 seats allotted to the princely states were not filled as they decided to stay away from the constituent assembly.
How many seats were allotted to the British India or the provinces
296 seats were allotted to British India. 292 where to be drawn from the 11 governors provinces, and four from the four chief commissioners provinces
The first meeting was attended by how many members
211 because the Muslim league boycotted the meeting and insisted on a separate state of Pakistan
The Indian Independence act of 1947, made the following three changes in the position of the assembly
The assembly was made a fully sovereign body which could frame any Constitution. It pleaseD. The act empowered the assembly to abrogate or alter any law made by the British parliament in relation to India.
Dissembly also became a legislative body . In other words to separate functions were assigned to the assembly, that is making of the Constitution for free, India and enacting of ordinary laws for the country
The Muslim league members hailing from the areas included in the Pakistan withdrew from the constituent assembly for India. Consequently, the total strength of the assembly came down to 299 as against to 389 originally
When did the constituent assembly ratify the India’s membership of the Commonwealth
May 1949
When did the constituent assembly adopt national flag of India?
July 22, 1947
When did the constituent assembly adoptthe national anthem of India?
January 24, 1950
When did the constituent assembly adopt the national song of India?
January 24,, 1950
When did the constituent assembly elect Dr Rajendra Prasad as the first president of India?
January 24,1950
Total expenditure incurred on making the Constitution
64, lakhs
Final session of the constituent assembly
January 24,, 1950
How many constitutions did the Constitution makers Go through while making the Constitution of India
60
Names of committees of the constituent assembly and their chairman
- Union Powers Committee - Jawaharlal Nehru
- Union Constitution Committee - Jawaharlal Nehru
- Provincial Constitution Committee -
Sardar Patel - Drafting Committee - Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
- Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, Minorities and Tribal and Excluded Areas - Sardar Patel.
- Rules of Procedure Committee - Dr. Rajendra Prasad
- States Committee (Committee for Negotiating with States) - Jawaharial Nehru
- Steering Committee - Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Who nominated the representatives of princely states
The head of the princely states
Start of Indian representation in legislature
Indian councils act, 1861
First step towards a representative form of government in modern India
Indian councils act, 1892
The principle of representation was initiated -the District boards, universities, municipalities, Chambers of commerce and zamindars were authorised to recommend members to the provincial councils.
Morley Minto reforms or Indian councils act, 1909
First time introduced representative and popular elements-election to legislature-legislative councils, but it was indirect election
Included Indians to executive councils of Viceroy and governors
Legislative given more powers to ask questions from executives .
Other name of government of India act, 1919
Montagu Chemsford Reforms
This act strengthened popular and representative government in British India .
India’s constitution has taken maximum clauses from where
Government of India act 1935
Who led the Crips mission 1942
Stafford Cripps
Members of the Cabinet Mission plan 1946
Lord Pathick Lawrence(the secretary of state for India)
Sir Stafford Cripps
A V. Alexander.
