Study Guides/Civics/Drafting Committee Members of Indian Constitution
Study Guide · Civics

Members of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution

The Constituent Assembly of India set up several committees to deal with different tasks of constitution-making. Out of all of them, the most important and famous was the 'Drafting Committee', established on 29th August 1947. Their monumental job was to write the final draft of the new Indian Constitution.

Question (Click to Flip)

Was Mahatma Gandhi a member of the Drafting Committee?

Answer

No. Mahatma Gandhi was not a member of the Drafting Committee, nor was he even a member of the broader Constituent Assembly. He chose not to be part of the official government machinery.

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Key Facts

In total, the Constituent Assembly took exactly 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days to complete the Constitution.

The original Constitution was not printed or typed; it was entirely handwritten by Prem Behari Narain Raizada in a beautiful italicized calligraphy style.

1. The Chairman

  • Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: He was unanimously elected as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee. Because of his brilliant legal mind, his deep knowledge of global constitutions, and his relentless work, he is widely recognized as the 'Father of the Indian Constitution'.

2. The Other 6 Members

The committee consisted of exactly 7 members in total. The other six eminent lawyers and politicians were:

  1. Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar: A brilliant advocate and former Advocate General of the Madras Presidency.
  2. N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar: A former Prime Minister of Kashmir and a seasoned civil servant.
  3. K.M. Munshi: A prominent lawyer, writer, and former Home Minister of Bombay.
  4. Syed Mohammad Saadulla: The former Premier (Chief Minister) of Assam.
  5. N. Madhava Rau: He replaced B.L. Mitter, who resigned from the committee due to ill health.
  6. T.T. Krishnamachari: He replaced D.P. Khaitan, who unfortunately passed away in 1948.

3. The Committee's Work

  • The committee studied the constitutions of over 60 countries.
  • They published the first draft of the Indian Constitution in February 1948.
  • They gave the people of India eight months to read it, discuss it, and propose amendments.
  • After public feedback, they prepared the final draft, which was officially adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26th November 1949.

Questions and Answers

Was Mahatma Gandhi a member of the Drafting Committee?+

No. Mahatma Gandhi was not a member of the Drafting Committee, nor was he even a member of the broader Constituent Assembly. He chose not to be part of the official government machinery.

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