Drafting of the Constitution of India : Dr B R Ambedkar

The Constitution of India is its lex loci i.e. the parent of all laws in the country. The three pillars of Indian State (Legislature, Executive & Judiciary) derive their authority from the Constitution. It was framed by a Constituent Assembly set up under the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946. The Assembly set up 13 committees for framing the constitution including a Drafting Committee under the chairmanship of Dr. B R Ambedkar. On the basis of reports of these committees, a draft of the Constitution was prepared by a seven member Drafting Committee.

Seven members Drafting Committee :

1. Dr. B R Ambedkar n(chairman)

2. N Gopalaswamy Ayyangar

3. Alladi Krishnaswamy Ayyar

4. Dr. K M Munshi

5. Syed Mohammed Saadullah

6. N Madhava Rau (He replaced B L Mitter)

7. T T Krishnaamachari (He replaced D P Khaitan)

Dr. B R Ambedkar had said : "Constitution is not a mere lawyer's document, it is vehicle of life, and its spirit is always a spirit of age."

The Constitution of India is one of the most comprehensive and longest enumerated documents of its kind in the world. It is the prime law of India. It contains the minutest details for governance of Indian State. Without the Constitution, there would not have been administrative machinery for running the Indian State so well.

History :

• The British Crown became the rulers through the enactment of the Government of India Act 1858.

• The Indian Council Acts of 1861, 1892 and 1909 started giving representation to the Indian in the Viceroy'' Councils. 

• Britishers adopted decentralisation of powers between the Centre and States.

• By the enactment of Government of India Act 1919, Legislative Council came into existence in all the States.

• The Britishers adopted bicameral structure with separate Central and State Governments.

• The Constitution of India later adopted this quasi-federal and bicameral structure of governance.

• The enactment of Government of India Act 1935 : To division of powers of governance into Federal List, Provincial List, and Concurrent List. Later, the Constitution of India adopted structural part from this act.

• The enactment of the Indian Independence Act of 1947 : India became an independent and sovereign state after this act.

Constituent Assembly :

The Constituent Assembly of India came into existence as per provisions of Cabinet Mission Plan of May 1946. It's major task was to facilitate transfer of Sovereign power from British authorities to Indian hands.

• The members of Constituent Assembly was elected directly as well indirectly.

• First met - on 9 December, 1946 in Delhi.

• Assembly chairman was Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Vice Chairman was V. T. Krishna Hari & H. C. Mukerji.

• The Constitution Assembly finally approved the Constitution on 26 November, 1949, which is now celebrated as Constitution Day.

• The Constituent Assembly formally adopted the Constitution on 26 January, 1950 to make our country a Sovereign Republic.

India is a diverse nation with respect to its culture, citizens and this is why the drafting committee took so long to complete the draft and therefore the historical growth of our Constitution can be traced back to many acts mentioned in this article. Our Constitution has been inspired by various Constitutions of different nations and it's spirit has been duly upheld over the year.

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References

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M Laxmikant