Historical Background & Demand for Constituent Assembly
Why India needed its own Constitution, the long struggle for self-governance, and how the demand for a Constituent Assembly evolved.
📋 In This Article
1. Why India Needed Its Own Constitution
Before independence, India was governed by British-enacted laws — the Government of India Acts of 1919 and 1935 being the most significant. These laws served British colonial interests, not the aspirations of the Indian people.
The Government of India Act, 1935 — though the longest act ever passed by the British Parliament — was essentially a federal scheme imposed from outside. Indian leaders unanimously rejected it as a permanent framework for a free India.
2. Early Demands for a Constituent Assembly
M.N. Roy’s Proposal (1934)
Manabendra Nath Roy (M.N. Roy) was the first person to put forward the idea of a Constituent Assembly for India in 1934.
Indian National Congress Demand (1935)
The INC officially demanded a Constituent Assembly for the first time in 1935.
Nehru’s Statement (1938)
In 1938, Jawaharlal Nehru formally declared that the Constitution of free India must be framed by a Constituent Assembly elected on the basis of adult franchise.
August Offer (1940)
The British Government, through the August Offer of 1940, for the first time implicitly accepted the principle that Indians should frame their own Constitution.
Cripps Mission (1942)
Sir Stafford Cripps came to India in 1942 with proposals for a Constituent Assembly after the war. Congress rejected it because:
- It gave provinces the right to opt out of the Indian Union
- It gave the Viceroy overriding powers
- Gandhi called it a “post-dated cheque on a crashing bank”
3. Key Events & Milestones (Timeline)
4. Cabinet Mission Plan, 1946
The Cabinet Mission was sent to India in March 1946. It consisted of three British Cabinet Ministers:
| Member | Portfolio |
|---|---|
| Lord Pethick-Lawrence | Secretary of State for India (Leader) |
| Sir Stafford Cripps | President of the Board of Trade |
| A.V. Alexander | First Lord of the Admiralty |
Key Provisions
- Rejected the demand for a separate Pakistan
- Proposed a three-tier federal structure
- Provided for formation of a Constituent Assembly
- Total strength: 389 members (296 British India + 93 Princely States)
- Seats allocated — roughly 1 seat per 10 lakh population
5. First Meeting of the Constituent Assembly
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| First Meeting | December 9, 1946 |
| Temporary President | Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha (eldest member) |
| Permanent President | Dr. Rajendra Prasad (elected Dec 11, 1946) |
| Vice-Presidents | H.C. Mukherjee & V.T. Krishnamachari |
| Constitutional Adviser | Sir B.N. Rau |
| Muslim League | Boycotted the first meeting |
| Total Sessions | 11 sessions |
| Total Sittings | 166 days |
| Time Taken | 2 years, 11 months, 18 days |
| Cost of Framing | ₹64 lakh (approx.) |
6. Key Points for Exam
🔑 Must-Remember Facts
- M.N. Roy first proposed the idea in 1934
- INC officially demanded in 1935
- Nehru’s formal declaration — 1938
- Cabinet Mission — 1946; Members: Pethick-Lawrence, Cripps, Alexander
- Original strength: 389; After partition: 299
- First meeting: December 9, 1946
- Temporary President: Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha
- Permanent President: Dr. Rajendra Prasad
- Constitutional Adviser: Sir B.N. Rau
- Constitution adopted: November 26, 1949 (Constitution Day)
- Constitution enforced: January 26, 1950 (Republic Day)
- Time taken: 2 years, 11 months, 18 days
- Total sittings: 166 days · Cost: ₹64 lakh
- Gandhi on Cripps: “post-dated cheque on a crashing bank”