Constituent Assembly and Making of the Constitution

Total Questions: 70

11. Who of the following was not the member of the Interim National Government formed in August 1946 A.D.? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2010 ]

Correct Answer: (c) Dr. S. Radhakrishnan
Solution:According to the Cabinet Mission's declaration, an Interim Government was constituted on 2 September, 1946, from the newly elected Constituent Assembly. C. Rajgopalachari was the Education Minister, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Food and Agriculture Minister and Jagjivan Ram was the Minister for Labour. However, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan was not a member of this Interim Government.

The Cabinet of the Interim Government of India was composed of the following members:

1. President of the Executive Council (Viceroy and Governor-General of India): Viscount Wavell (till February 1947 Lord Mountbatten (from February 1947)
2. Commander-in-Chief: Sir Claude Auchinleck
3. Vice President, Also in charge of External Affairs and Commonwealth Relations: Jawaharlal Nehru (INC)
4. Home Affairs, Information and Broadcasting: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (INC)
5. Agriculture and Food: Rajendra Prasad (INC)
6. Commerce: Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar (ML)
7. Defence: Baldev Singh (INC)
8. Finance: Liaquat Ali Khan (ML)
9. Education and Arts: C Rajagopalachari (INC)
10. Health: Ghazanfar Ali Khan (ML)
11. Labour: Jagjivan Ram (INC)
12. Law: Jogendra Nath Mandal (ML)
13. Railways and Communications, Post and Air: Abdur Rab Nishtar (ML)
14. Works, Mines and Power: CH Bhabha (INC)

12. The first Interim National Government was announced on [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2022]

Correct Answer: (a) 24 August 1946
Solution:According to the Cabinet Mission's declaration, an Interim Government was constituted on 2 September, 1946, from the newly elected Constituent Assembly. C. Rajgopalachari was the Education Minister, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Food and Agriculture Minister and Jagjivan Ram was the Minister for Labour. However, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan was not a member of this Interim Government.

The Cabinet of the Interim Government of India was composed of the following
members:

1. President of the Executive Council (Viceroy and Governor-General of India): Viscount Wavell (till February 1947 Lord Mountbatten (from February 1947)
2. Commander-in-Chief: Sir Claude Auchinleck
3. Vice President, Also in charge of External Affairs and Commonwealth Relations: Jawaharlal Nehru (INC)
4. Home Affairs, Information and Broadcasting: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (INC)
5. Agriculture and Food: Rajendra Prasad (INC)
6. Commerce: Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar (ML)
7. Defence: Baldev Singh (INC)
8. Finance: Liaquat Ali Khan (ML)
9. Education and Arts: C Rajagopalachari (INC)
10. Health: Ghazanfar Ali Khan (ML)
11. Labour: Jagjivan Ram (INC)
12. Law: Jogendra Nath Mandal (ML)
13. Railways and Communications, Post and Air: Abdur Rab Nishtar (ML)
14. Works, Mines and Power: CH Bhabha (INC)

13. Assertion (A): According to the Wavell Plan the number of Hindu and Muslin members in the Executive Council was to be equal. Reason (R) Wavell thought that this arrangement would have avoided the partition India. [LA.S. (Pre) 2007]

Correct Answer: (c) (A) is true, but (R) is false.
Solution:In October, 1943 Lord Wavell, who had succeeded Lord Linlithgow as viceroy, made an attempt to resolve the deadlock in India. He went to England for consultation in March, 1945. There, he thoroughly discussed with the British Government about Indian administration and made some proposals.

In June 1945, his proposals were made public by the name of the Wavell Plan. He proposed restructuring of the Governor-General's Executive Council, which would have balanced the representation of the main communities, including equal proportions of Muslims and Hindus.

All the portfolios except defence were to be held by Indian members, including the foreign department. The Wavell Plan proposed an equal representation of Hindus and Muslims in the Executive Council. Apart from Viceroy and Commander in chief in the Executive Council, all members were to be Indian.

Earliest possible, a conference at Shimla was to be convened. It was also proposed that, after the end of the second world war, A Constitution for India was to be made by Indians.

Thus it is clear that the Wavell Plan was intended to remove the deadlock on Constitutional matters and political issues and to promote the self-governance for Indians but never intended to unite the Hindu-Muslim to avoid partition of India. Thus the statement is true, but the Reason is false.

14. Which of the following statement(s) is/are true in relation to Constituent Assembly? [U.P.S.C (Pre) 1993]

1. Assembly was based on adult suffrage.

2. The assembly was a result of direct election.

3. Assembly was a multiparty body.

4. Assembly worked through various committees.

Choose the correct answer by using the code given below:

Correct Answer: (c) 3 and 4 
Solution:The Legislative Assemblies of States were used as the Electoral College for the formation of the Constituent Assembly. In this way, the Constituent Assembly was a result of the indirect election. Its election was not based on adult suffrage. Peoples of several parties were involved in it, the Constituent Assembly formed a number of committees to operate its working.

15. Which of the following statements are correct regarding to Indian Constituent Assembly? [R.A.S.\R.T.S. (Pre) 2018]

(A) It was not based on Adult Franchise.

(B) It resulted from direct election.

(C) It was not a multi-party body.

(D) It worked through several committees.

Select the correct answer using code given below:

Correct Answer: (a) (A) and (D) 
Solution:The Constituent Assembly was to be partly elected and partly nominated.
The members were to be indirectly elected by the members of the provincial assembly, who themselves were elected on a limited franchise.

It was a multi-party body; the Congress, the Muslim League and some independent members, also got representation. The Constituent Assembly appointed a number of committees to deal with different tasks of constitution-making. Out of these, 8 were major committees and others were minor committees.

16. Which one among the following is an incorrect statement about the Constituent Assembly? [M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2012]

Correct Answer: (c) It was elected on the basis of universal adult franchise.
Solution:The members of the Constituent Assembly were elected by the members of the Legislative Assembly of Provinces on the basis of indirect election, and not on the basis of the Universal Adult franchise.

The Members of Provincial legislatures were themselves elected on the basis of limited franchise, i.e. on the basis of the qualifications of education, property and tax. Universal Adult Franchise enables all citizens to be involved in the governance of their state based on adult suffrage.

17. Member of constituent assembly, who drafted the Constitution of India, were- [U.P.S.C. (Pre) 2002]

Correct Answer: (c) Elected by legislative assemblies of various provinces
Solution:Members of the constituent Assembly were elected by the members of Legislative Assemblies of various provinces Each province and each Indian State of group of states were allotted the total number of seats proportional to their respective population, roughly in the ratio of one t a million.

As a result, 292 members ware elected through the Provincial Legislative Assemblies and 4 members represented the Chief Commissioner's Provinces, while the Indian Princely states were allotted a minimum of 93 seats.

18. With reference to Indian History, the Members of the Constituent Assembly from the Provinces were [U.P.S.C. (Pre) 2013 ]

Correct Answer: (c) Elected by the Provincial Legislative Assemblies
Solution:Members of the constituent Assembly were elected by the members of Legislative Assemblies of various provinces Each province and each Indian State of group of states were allotted the total number of seats proportional to their respective population, roughly in the ratio of one t a million.

As a result, 292 members ware elected through the Provincial Legislative Assemblies and 4 members represented the Chief Commissioner's Provinces, while the Indian Princely states were allotted a minimum of 93 seats.

19. How were the members of Constituent Assembly elected"? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1993]

Correct Answer: (d) By Provincial Assemblies
Solution:Members of the constituent Assembly were elected by the members of Legislative Assemblies of various provinces Each province and each Indian State of group of states were allotted the total number of seats proportional to their respective population, roughly in the ratio of one t a million.

As a result, 292 members ware elected through the Provincial Legislative Assemblies and 4 members represented the Chief Commissioner's Provinces, while the Indian Princely states were allotted a minimum of 93 seats.

20. Who was the first elected Chairman of Constituent Assembly? [P.C.S. (Pre) 2005]

Correct Answer: (c) Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Solution:Dr. Sachchidanand Sinha temporarily chaired the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly, which was held on 9 December, 1946. The Constituent Assembly unanimously elected Dr. Rajendra Prasad as permanent Chairman on 11 December 1946. Dr. Rajendra Prasad's name was proposed by J.B. Kripalani.
List-IList-II
When did the constituent assembly first meet?The assembly first met on 9 December 1946
Was there any role of the Muslim League in the formation of the Constitution of India?No, there was no role played by the Muslim League in the constituent assembly as it had boycotted this meeting citing its demand for partition.
What is 'Objective Resolution' concerned with the constituent assembly of India?Objective Resolution enshrined the aspirations and values of the constitution-makers. Under this, the people of India were guaranteed social, economic and political justice, equality and fundamental freedoms. This resolution was unanimously adopted on 22 January 1947 and the Preamble to the Constitution is based on it.
When was Objective Resolution moved and by whom?On 13 December 1946, Jawaharlal Nehru moved the 'Objective Resolution'.
When was the National Flag of the Union adopted?The National Flag of the Union was adopted on 22 July 1947
For how many days was the constituent assembly assembled to frame the constitution?The time taken by the assembly to frame the constitution: 2 years, 11 months and 17 days. Money spent in framing the constitution: Rs.64 lakhs
When was Jana Gana Mana adopted as our national anthem?On 24 January 1950, 'Jana Gana Mana' was adopted as the national anthem
How many articles does our final constitution have?The final document had 22 parts, 395 articles and 8 schedules.
What was the total number of sessions the constituent assembly had?The assembly had met for 11 sessions
When was the draft of the Indian Constitution published?The draft was published in January 1948 and the country's people were asked for their feedback and input within 8 months
What is the date of the last session?The last session was held from 14 - 26 November 1949. The constitution was passed and adopted by the assembly on 26 November 1949
When did the Constitution of India come into force?The constitution came into force on 26 January 1950 (which is celebrated as Republic Day).