Constituent Assembly: Committees, drafting and adoption

26 January was chosen as the date of commencement because of its historic importance in the freedom struggle. At its Lahore Session of December 1929, presided over by Jawaharlal Nehru, the Congress adopted the goal of Purna Swaraj, or complete independence. In pursuance of that resolution, 26 January 1930 was celebrated across India as Purna Swaraj Day. The other dates relate to other events: the Objectives Resolution was adopted on 22 January 1947, and the Assembly first met on 9 December 1946.

The Drafting Committee, set up on 29 August 1947, was chaired by B. R. Ambedkar. Its task was to turn the reports and decisions of the Assembly's committees into a Draft Constitution, and Ambedkar later piloted that draft through the House, which is why he is called the chief architect of the Constitution. Rajendra Prasad was the President of the Assembly, B. N. Rau was its Constitutional Adviser, who prepared an earlier draft but was not a member, and K. M. Munshi was a member of the committee, not its chairman.

Only two. Alladi Krishnaswamy Ayyar, a leading jurist from Madras, and Syed Mohammad Saadullah, from Assam, were members of the seven-member Drafting Committee. Rajendra Prasad was the President of the Constituent Assembly and chaired procedural committees, not the Drafting Committee. B. N. Rau was the Constitutional Adviser, an official who prepared the first draft for the Assembly's use, but he was never a member of the committee.

B. R. Ambedkar introduced the final Draft Constitution in the Assembly on 4 November 1948, opening the first reading, a general discussion that lasted five days. The second reading, a clause-by-clause consideration, ran from 15 November 1948 to 17 October 1949, and the third reading began on 14 November 1949. The Constitution was passed on 26 November 1949. The other dates belong to other events: 29 August 1947, the setting up of the Drafting Committee, and 9 December 1946, the Assembly's first sitting.

The Drafting Committee had seven members: B. R. Ambedkar (chairman), N. Gopalaswamy Ayyangar, Alladi Krishnaswamy Ayyar, K. M. Munshi, Syed Mohammad Saadullah, N. Madhava Rau and T. T. Krishnamachari. The last two came in place of B. L. Mitter, who resigned, and D. P. Khaitan, who died in 1948. So, although nine people served on it at different times, the committee's strength was always seven. Most members were eminent lawyers, chosen for their legal skill rather than political standing.

Statement 2 is correct: the third reading of the Draft Constitution began on 14 November 1949 and ended on 26 November 1949, when the motion on the Draft Constitution was declared passed. Statement 1 is incorrect: the second reading, the clause-by-clause consideration of the draft, began on 15 November 1948 and ended only on 17 October 1949. It took almost a year because the Assembly debated thousands of proposed amendments and adopted many of them.

Option (d) is the incorrect statement. On 26 November 1949 the Assembly declared the motion on the Constitution carried, and the Constitution as passed had a Preamble, 395 Articles, 22 Parts and 8 Schedules. But only some provisions came into force at once: those on citizenship, elections, the provisional Parliament, temporary and transitional provisions, and short title. The remaining provisions, the greater part, came into force on 26 January 1950, which is therefore called the date of commencement.

Statement 1 is correct: the Drafting Committee published the first Draft Constitution in February 1948. Statement 2 is incorrect: the people of India were given eight months to discuss the draft and propose amendments. In the light of public comments, criticisms and suggestions, the committee prepared a second draft, published in October 1948. Ambedkar then introduced the final draft in the Assembly on 4 November 1948. The process shows the Assembly's attempt to make drafting consultative.

Statement I is correct but Statement II is wrong (c). Statement I is right: Constitution Day, or Samvidhan Divas, has been observed on 26 November since 2015 to promote constitutional values. That is the day in 1949 when the Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution. Statement II is wrong: the Drafting Committee under Dr B.R. Ambedkar was set up much earlier, on 29 August 1947. The statement has the right person but the wrong event.

Notice the dates: the Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950, chosen because the Congress had declared Purna Swaraj on 26 January 1930. Some provisions, such as citizenship and elections, took effect on 26 November 1949 itself. 2025 marked 75 years of adoption.

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Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha was the Provisional President (d). At the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly on 9 December 1946, the oldest member, Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha, was made temporary President, following the French practice. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected permanent President on 11 December 1946. Option (a) is wrong: C. Rajagopalachari was not its President. Option (b) is wrong: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee. Option (c) is wrong: T.T. Krishnamachari was a member of that committee.

Notice other key roles: H.C. Mukherjee was Vice-President, B.N. Rau the Constitutional Adviser, and Nehru moved the Objectives Resolution on 13 December 1946. The Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949.

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