Question:
Consider the following statements:
(1) Constitutional Draft Committee had seven members.
(2) B.R. Ambedkar was Chairman of Drafts Committee.
(3) Jawaharlal Nehru was one of the member of that committee.
(4) Mohammad Saadulla was not member of that committee.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
(A) (1) and (3) only
(B) (2) and (4) only
(C) (4) and (3) only
(D) (1) and (2) only
Answer : (D) (1) and (2) only
Analysis of the Statements
Here is a breakdown of the facts regarding the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution:
- (1) Constitutional Draft Committee had seven members.
- Correct 👍. The Drafting Committee, set up on August 29, 1947, was composed of a chairman and six other members, making a total of seven members.
- (2) B.R. Ambedkar was Chairman of Drafts Committee.
- Correct 👍. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, a brilliant legal scholar, was the chairman of the Drafting Committee. His pivotal role in steering the drafting process earned him the title of the “Father of the Indian Constitution.”
- (3) Jawaharlal Nehru was one of the member of that committee.
- Incorrect. While Jawaharlal Nehru was a key figure in the Constituent Assembly and chaired other powerful committees (like the Union Powers Committee), he was not a member of the specialized Drafting Committee.
- (4) Mohammad Saadulla was not member of that committee.
- Incorrect. Syed Mohammad Saadulla, a lawyer and politician from Assam, was one of the seven members of the Drafting Committee.
Overview and Purpose 📜
The Drafting Committee was the most crucial of the several committees established by the Constituent Assembly of India. Its primary responsibility was to prepare the first draft of the Constitution based on the reports and recommendations from all other committees.
It was set up on August 29, 1947, shortly after India’s independence.
Members of the Committee 👥
The committee consisted of seven members. This is a frequent point of examination, so the names and the changes are important.
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (Chairman)
- N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar
- Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar
- Dr. K. M. Munshi
- Syed Mohammad Saadullah
- N. Madhava Rau (He replaced B. L. Mitter, who resigned due to poor health.)
- T. T. Krishnamachari (He replaced D. P. Khaitan, who passed away in 1948.)
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, as the chairman, played the pivotal role in guiding the committee and is rightly called the “Chief Architect of the Constitution of India.”
Timeline and Working 🗓️
- Basis for the Draft: The committee did not work in a vacuum. It used the Government of India Act, 1935, as its basic structural framework. It also incorporated the principles from the Objectives Resolution (moved by Jawaharlal Nehru) and studied the constitutions of over 60 other countries.
- First Draft: The committee published the first draft of the Constitution in February 1948. This draft was then circulated widely across the country, given to the public, the press, and provincial assemblies for their comments, criticisms, and suggestions.
- Final Draft: After considering all the feedback, the committee prepared a second and final draft, which was introduced in the Constituent Assembly by Dr. Ambedkar on November 4, 1948.
- Total Time: The Drafting Committee met for a total of 141 days to prepare the draft.
Key Facts (Summary)
- Chairman: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
- Date of Formation: August 29, 1947.
- Total Members: 7 (including the chairman).
- Replacements: N. Madhava Rau (for B.L. Mitter) and T.T. Krishnamachari (for D.P. Khaitan).
- Primary Task: To scrutinize the inputs from various committees and prepare the definitive draft of the Constitution.
- Final Adoption: The final draft prepared by the committee (after several readings and amendments in the Assembly) was adopted on November 26, 1949 (Constitution Day).
- Enforcement: The Constitution came into full effect on January 26, 1950 (Republic Day).