Making of Constitution | Polity – Parmar Sir

Constitution

• It lays out certain ideals that form the basis of the kind of country.
• Indian Constitution: Partially rigid, partialy flexible
• While all democratic countries ae likely to have a constitution, it is not necessary that all countries that have a constitution are democratic.
• Origin of Constitution from the USA: 1787
• Indepedence of USA: 4th July 1776
• Early draft of Indian Constitution: 1928 by All parties Conference chaired by Motilal Nehru> Nehru Report

Constitution Assembly

• 1934: MN Roy first demanded for CA
  • He founded the Communist Party of India(CPI)
• 1935: Demanded by Congress

Offers from Britain

• Reason: Ongoing World War II
  • 1940: August offer
  • 1942: Cripps Proposal
  • 1945: Wavell Plan
  • 1946: Cabinet Mission Plan
    • 3 british cabinet members
      • Pethick-Lawrence(Chairman)
      • Stafford Cripps.
      • AV Alexander
• Only cabinet Mission Plan was accepted by the Congress and the Muslim league, hence Constitution Assembly was formed according to it.
• Reason for rejection of Former ones> Congress demanded Purna Swaraj, but they offered the Dominion Status.

Provision of Cabinet Mission Plan

• Total Seat: 389
  • 93: Nominated(Provinces/Princely States)
  • 296: Elected(British India)
    • 4 Chief Commissioner Provinces
    • 292: Governor Provinces
• Seats allocated to each British Province, where to be divided among three principal ccommunities:
  • Muslim
  • Sikh
  • General
• 1 Seat was to be allotted for 1 million population
• Method of election: Indirect Election
  • Proportional Representation + Single Transferable Vote
• Election held in: July-August 1946
• Result:
  • Majority: Congress: 208 Seats
  • Muslim league: 73 Seats
  • Independent: 15 Seats
• After boycott of Muslim league remaining seats were 299
• Interim Government
  • President of Executive Council: Viceroy and GG of India
    • Viceroy: Wavel & Mountbatten
  • Vice President: JLN
  • Home Affairs, Information and Broadcasting: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
  • Agriculture & Food: Rajendra Prashad(INC)
  • Commerce: Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar(ML)
  • Defence: Baldev Singh(INC)
  • Finance: Liaquat Ali Khan(ML)
  • Education and Arts: C Rajagopalachari(INC)
  • Labour: Jagjivan Ram(INC)
  • Law: Jogendra Nath mandal(ML)
• 13 December 1946: Objective resolution presented by JL Nehru
• 22nd Jan 1947: Objective resolution adopted by Constitution Assembly> Committees Formed
  • Major: 8
  • Minor: 13
• Drafting Committee Setup on 29th August 1947
  • Total member: 7
    • Chairman: BR Ambedkar
      • Also known as “Manuh man” or “Modern man”
    • Alladi Krishnaswamy Ayyar
    • N Gopalaswami Ayyangar
    • Muhammad Saddullah
    • BL Mitter(Replaced by Madhav rao)
    • DP Khaitan(Replaced by TT Krishnamachari)
    • KM Munshi
• Draft of the Constitution:
  • 1st Draft: 21 Feb, 1948(8 months to people of India)
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