History · Spectrum Books A Brief History of Modern India
Chapter 35 : Making of the Constitution for India
Table of contents14 sections
- 1.Making of the Constitution for India
- 2.Background
- 3.Chronology of Indian Constitutional Initiatives
- 4.Key Terms
- 5.📌 Exam Tidbits
- 6.Constituent Assembly
- 7.Formation
- 8.Two Constituent Assemblies: India and Pakistan
- 9.Evaluation of the Assembly for India
- 10.After Independence
- 11.Work: Committees and Consensus
- 12.Key Terms
- 13.📌 Exam Tidbits
- 14.Quick-Recall Box
Chapter preview
Making of the Constitution for India
The Constitution of India came into effect on January 26, 1950. It holds the distinction of being the longest in the world in terms of length, content, and complexity, necessitated by the country's vast size and diversity. It was designed to keep a deeply divided country together, uniting different classes, castes, and communities under a shared vision while nurturing democratic institutions in a culture historically defined by hierarchy and deference.
Background
Although the Constitution of India was framed between December 1946 and December 1949, its roots lie deep in the Indian National Movement against colonial rule and the movements for responsible and constitutional government in the princely states.
- Historiographical Debate: Historian Mridula Mukherjee (India since Independence) rejects the idea that the British initiated modern, responsible, and constitutional government in India, or that the 1950 Constitution was merely a culmination of British constitutional initiatives (1861, 1892, 1909, 1919, and 1935 Acts). She argues that British concessions always fell far short of nationalist demands.
Chronology of Indian Constitutional Initiatives
Key Terms
| Concept | Definition |
|---|---|
| Constitution of India Bill (1895) | Also known as the 'Swaraj Bill' or 'Home Rule Bill', it envisaged basic individual rights (freedom of expression, equality before law, inviolability of home, right to property) for all citizens. Considered the first non-official attempt at drafting a constitution. |
| National Demand (1924) | A resolution introduced by Motilal Nehru in the Central Legislative Assembly that gave due regard to minority rights and expounded a clear demand for a constitution and the procedure for its adoption. |
📌 Exam Tidbits
- Mridula Mukherjee argues the 1950 Constitution was not a mere culmination of British Acts (1861–1935).
- Rohit De (in the Oxford Handbook of the Indian Constitution) calls the 1895 Bill the "first articulation of a constitutional imagination by Indians".
- M.N. Roy suggested the idea of a Constituent Assembly before Jawaharlal Nehru enunciated it in 1933.
- The Nehru Report (1928) proposed residuary powers vesting in the central government.
- Verbatim Quote: Jawaharlal Nehru (1934) — "the Constitution of India must be framed, without outside interference, by a…
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