Historical Background — Timeline
1895
Swaraj Bill — Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Mentioned the principle of a Constituent Assembly for the first time
1928
Nehru Report — Chairman: Motilal Nehru
Memorandum appealing for new dominion status
1934
M.N. Roy's Demand
M.N. Roy demanded formation of Constituent Assembly
1935
INC Demand
Indian National Congress demanded Constituent Assembly
1940
August Offer — Viceroy Lord Linlithgow
Promise of Dominion Status & constitutional reforms
Congress = Agreed | Muslim League = Disagreed
Individual Satyagraha: Vinoba Bhave (1st), Nehru (2nd)
1942
Cripps Mission
Acceptance of Constituent Assembly formation
Against = Muslim League
Congress demanded complete independence (not dominion status)
Jinnah demanded separate Pakistan
1946
⭐ Cabinet Mission — 3 Members
1. Pethick Lawrence — Secretary of State for India (Chairman)
2. Stafford Cripps — Trade Board
3. A.V. Alexander — Naval Board
Outcomes: Formation of CA ✓ | Both Congress & ML accepted ✓
Separate Pakistan proposal REJECTED | Communal electorate demand by ML accepted
Structure of Constituent Assembly
Total Seats (before partition)
389
Elected
296 (292 + 4 from Chief Commissioner)
Nominated (Princely States)
93
Representation ratio
1 per 10 lakh people
After Partition (Total)
299 seats
Election Results (296 seats, July–Aug 1946)
-
Congress: 208 seats
-
Muslim League: 73 seats
-
Others: 15 seats (11+4)
Key Positions — Constituent Assembly
| Position |
Person |
| Temporary President |
Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha |
| Permanent President |
Dr. Rajendra Prasad |
| Vice-President |
H.C. Mukherjee |
| Constitutional Advisor |
B.N. Rau |
| First Parliament |
Constituent Assembly itself |
Sessions — Key Facts
First Meeting
9 Dec 1946 (211 members present)
First Session
9–23 Dec 1946
Last Session (11th)
14–26 Nov 1949
Total Duration
2 years 11 months 18 days
Total Expense
₹64 lakhs approx.
Special Note
-
Mahatma Gandhi and Jinnah — NOT members of Constituent Assembly
- Public and Press were allowed to attend sessions
Notable Women Members (15 total)
Sucheta Kriplani
- 1st Woman Chief Minister of India (UP)
Sarojini Naidu
- 1st Woman Governor of India (UP)
Amrit Kaur
- 1st Health Minister of India
Original Constitution — Who Did What
| Role |
Person |
| Calligrapher (English) |
Prem Behari Narain Raizada |
| Calligrapher (Hindi) |
Vasant Krishna Vaidya |
| Illustrators |
Nandalal Bose and Beohar Rammanohar Sinha |
| National Flag Designer |
Pingali Venkayya |
| Members who signed |
284 (out of 299) |
Major Committees (8 Major + 13 Minor)
| # |
Committee |
President / Chairman |
| 1 |
Drafting Committee |
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar ⭐ |
| 2 |
Steering Committee |
Dr. Rajendra Prasad |
| 3 |
Union Powers Committee |
Jawaharlal Nehru |
| 4 |
Provincial Committee |
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel |
| 5 |
Flag Committee |
Dr. Rajendra Prasad |
| 6 |
Minorities Committee |
H.C. Mukherjee |
| 7 |
House Committee |
Pattabhi Sitaramayya |
| 8 |
Rules of Procedure Committee |
Dr. Rajendra Prasad |
Drafting Committee — 7 Members
| # |
Member |
Note |
| 1 |
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar |
Chairman — Father of Indian Constitution |
| 2 |
Krishnaswamy Iyer |
— |
| 3 |
N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar |
— |
| 4 |
Saadullah Khan |
— |
| 5 |
B.L. Mitter |
Replaced by N. Madhav Rao |
| 6 |
D.P. Khaitan |
Passed away → replaced by T.T. Krishnamachari |
| 7 |
K.M. Munshi |
— |
Rajendra Prasad — 3 Committees
How many committees did Dr Rajendra Prasad chair?
3 — Steering Committee, Flag Committee, Rules of Procedure Committee
Most Important Dates
9 Dec 1946First Meeting of CA
22 Jul 1947National Flag
Adopted
4 Nov 1948Draft Constitution Presented
(Ambedkar)
26 Nov 1949Constitution ADOPTED
(Constitution Day)
24 Jan 1950National Anthem & Song
Adopted
26 Jan 1950Constitution ENFORCED
(Republic Day)
Complete Chronology
| Date / Period |
Event |
| Jul–Aug 1946 |
First Election to Constituent Assembly |
| 9 Dec 1946 |
First Meeting of CA (Temp. President: Sachchidananda Sinha; 211 members present) |
| 9–23 Dec 1946 |
First Session of CA |
| 22 Jul 1947 |
National Flag adopted (Designer: Pingali Venkayya) |
| May 1949 |
Membership of Commonwealth ratified |
| 4 Nov 1948 |
Final Draft presented by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar |
| 14–26 Nov 1949 |
Last Session (11th) of CA |
| 26 Nov 1949 |
Constitution ADOPTED — Constitution Day |
| 24 Jan 1950 |
National Anthem & National Song adopted; Rajendra Prasad became First President |
| 26 Jan 1950 |
Constitution ENFORCED — Republic Day |
Purna Swaraj Connection
- Lahore Session (1929) — Declaration of Purna Swaraj
- 26 Jan 1930 observed as Independence Day (that's why Republic Day = 26 Jan)
First Interim Cabinet (1946)
| Minister |
Portfolio |
| Jawaharlal Nehru |
Vice President of Executive Council, External Affairs |
| Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel |
Home, Information & Broadcasting |
| Baldev Singh |
Defence |
| Jagjivan Ram |
Labour |
| Liaquat Ali Khan |
Finance |
| Ghaznafar Ali |
Health |
| C. Rajagopalachari |
Education |
| Rajendra Prasad |
Food & Agriculture |
| Jogendra Nath Mandal |
Law |
| Abdur Rab Nishtar |
Communication |
| Asaf Ali |
Railways & Transport |
| T.T. Chundrigar |
Commerce |
| John Mathai |
Industries & Supplies |
Quick — Cabinet Firsts
Finance Minister (Interim 1946)?
Liaquat Ali Khan
Home Minister (Interim 1946)?
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Nehru's portfolio (Interim 1946)?
VP Executive Council + External Affairs
⚠️ Exam Traps
Trap #1 — Gandhi & Jinnah — NOT in CA
Many people assume that Mahatma Gandhi was a member of the Constituent Assembly, but neither Gandhi nor Jinnah was a member. This is an important negative fact.
Trap #2 — Temporary vs Permanent President
The temporary President of the Constituent Assembly was Dr Sachchidananda Sinha, while its permanent President was Dr Rajendra Prasad. In examinations, "President of the Constituent Assembly" normally refers to Rajendra Prasad.
Trap #3 — Adopted vs Enforced
Adopted = 26 November 1949 (Constitution Day). Enforced = 26 January 1950 (Republic Day). The two dates are different. "Constitution Day" = 26 Nov, not 26 Jan.
Trap #4 — Total Seats Before vs After Partition
Before Partition: 389 total seats (296 elected + 93 nominated). After Partition: 299
seats. Final Constitution signed by 284 members (not 299).
Trap #5 — Cabinet Mission — Who Rejected Pakistan?
The Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946 rejected the demand for a separate Pakistan but retained communal representation. Both the Congress and the Muslim League initially accepted the plan for the Constituent Assembly.
Trap #6 — Rajendra Prasad — how many Committees?
Dr Rajendra Prasad chaired three committees: the Steering Committee, Flag Committee and Rules of Procedure Committee. Remember all three.
Trap #7 — First to Demand Constituent Assembly
The idea was first mentioned in Tilak's Swaraj Bill of 1895. M. N. Roy made the first formal demand for a Constituent Assembly in 1934, and the INC adopted the demand in 1935. Distinguish these three milestones by context.
⚡ Quick Recall Cards
Background — Quick Dates
When was the Swaraj Bill proposed, and by whom?
1895 — Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Nehru Report — chairman?
1928 — Motilal Nehru
When did M. N. Roy demand a Constituent Assembly?
1934
August Offer — Viceroy?
1940 — Lord Linlithgow
Individual Satyagraha — 1st & 2nd?
1st: Vinoba Bhave | 2nd: Jawaharlal Nehru
Cabinet Mission — 3 members?
Pethick Lawrence (Chair) + Stafford Cripps + A.V. Alexander
Constituent Assembly — Numbers
Total seats (before partition)?
389 (296 elected + 93 nominated)
After partition?
299 seats
Total Sessions?
11 sessions, 165 working days
Duration?
2 years 11 months 18 days
Total expense?
₹64 lakhs approx.
Key People — CA
Temporary President?
Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha
Permanent President?
Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Constitutional Advisor?
B.N. Rau
Father of Indian Constitution?
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (Chairman — Drafting Committee)
National Flag designer?
Pingali Venkayya
Calligrapher — English?
Prem Behari Narain Raizada
Illustrators?
Nandalal Bose + Beohar Rammanohar Sinha
Critical Dates Pair
First meeting of CA?
9 December 1946
National Flag adopted?
22 July 1947
Draft presented by Ambedkar?
4 November 1948
Constitution ADOPTED (Constitution Day)?
26 November 1949
Constitution ENFORCED (Republic Day)?
26 January 1950
National Anthem & Song adopted?
24 January 1950