Write a short note on composition of constituion assembly.

The Cabinet Mission Plan devised the idea of a Constituent Assembly to frame the constitution of India.The Constituent Assembly of India was a body consisting of indirectly elected representatives tasked with drafting the Constitution of India. Initially it included representatives from those regions as well which later went on to become a part of Pakistan and present day Bangladesh. The Constituent Assembly for India had 217 members. It was formed in 1946. It approved the draft of the Constitution of India on 26th November, 1949. The Constitution came into effect on 26th January, 1950. The Assembly also served as the provisional parliament of independent India till the first general elections in 1952. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was its President while Dr. B. R. Ambedkar was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee.

• The characteristics of constituent assembly were:

1. formed only of Indians
2. There was an extraordinary sense of unity amongst the members of the Constituent Assembly.
3. approach of idealism

• Challenges before the members of the constituent assembly were :

The country was made up of several different communities who spoke different languages, belonged to different religions, and had distinct cultures. Also, when the Constitution was being written, India was going through considerable turmoil. The partition of the country into India and Pakistan was imminent, some of the Princely States remained undecided about their future, and the socio-economic condition of the vast mass of people appeared dismal. All of these issues played on the minds of the members of the Constituent Assembly as they drafted the Constitution. They rose to the occasion and gave this country a visionary document that reflects a respect for maintaining diversity while preserving national unity.

• Process

In the process of drafting the Indian Constitution every document presented and every word spoken in the Constituent Assembly has been recorded and preserved. These are called ‘Constituent Assembly Debates’.

• Criticism

The problems in accepting the views of constituent assembly were that people though it was made for the personal profit of some sections in the society, however it was not true because it was made for the welfare of every citizen in India. The other problem was that people questioned the legitimacy of this assembly by pointing that it is very old and does not match with contemporary ideas.

• Significance

Constitution is based on the decisions and the need of the people. Moreover, it has been organized and drafted by some of the best minds of the country who had years of political experience. Moreover, the character of being partly rigid and partly flexible makes it easier to make necessary changes according to time and need.