Constituent Assembly and Making of the Constitution

Total Questions: 70

51. The Constitution of India was adopted on which date? [M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2010, M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1998]

Correct Answer: (b) 26 November, 1949
Solution:The Preamble of the Constitution states, "we the People of India enact, adopt and give to ourselves this Constitution on 26 November, 1949". This date is considered as the date of adoption, completion and passing of the Constitution.

On the same day the provisions relating to Citizenship, Interim Parliament and Temporary, Transitional and special provisions came into effect. The rest of the provisions came into effect on 26 January, 1950. Thus 26 January, 1950 is considered as the enforcement date of the whole Constitution.

52. Constitution of India came into force on- [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1990]

Correct Answer: (a) 26 January, 1950
Solution:The Preamble of the Constitution states, "we the People of India enact, adopt and give to ourselves this Constitution on 26 November, 1949". This date is considered as the date of adoption, completion and passing of the Constitution.

On the same day the provisions relating to Citizenship, Interim Parliament and Temporary, Transitional and special provisions came into effect. The rest of the provisions came into effect on 26 January, 1950. Thus 26 January, 1950 is considered as the enforcement date of the whole Constitution.

53. Constitution of India came into force on: [Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2823]

Correct Answer: (b) January 26, 1950
Solution:The Republic is governed in terms of the Constitution of India, which was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26 November, 1949 and came into force on 27 January, 1950. Notably, the Constitution provides for a parliamentary form of government, which is federal in structure with certain unitary leaning.

54. January 26 was selected as the date for the inauguration of the Constitution, because- [53rd to 55th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2011]

Correct Answer: (a) The Congress had observed it as the Independence Day in 1930.
Solution:The Purna Swaraj declaration was promulgated by the Indian National Congress in the Lahore Session (December, 1929), where Congress asked the people of India to observe 26 January as Independence Day.

After that, Congress regularly observed 26 January as the Independence Day of India. The new Constitution of India, as drafted and approved by the Constituent Assembly of India, was mandated to come into effect from 26 January 1950, to commemorate the 1929 declaration.

55. Constitution Day of India is celebrated on [60th to 62th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2016]

Correct Answer: (b) 26th November
Solution:The Constitutional Day of India is celebrated on 26th November since the new Constitution of India was adopted by the constituent Assembly on 26th November, 1949 and signed by President Rajendra Prasad.

Some of the provisions of the constitution came into force at once, while the remaining pro- visions of the Constitution came into force on 26th January, 1950, the commencement date of the constitution.

56. Consider the following statements in respect of the Constitution Day: [U.P.S.C. (Pre.) 2023 ]

Statement-1: The Constitution Day is celebrated on 26 November every year to promote constitutional values among citizens.

Statement-II: On 26 November, 1949, the Constituent Assembly of India set up a Drafting Committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar to prepare a Draft Constitution of India.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Correct Answer: (c) Statement-f is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
Solution:The November 26 marks Constitution Day, also called "Samvidhan Divas, to remember the day on which the Indian Constitution was adopted. In an effort to encourage individuals to uphold the principles of the Constitution, the Indian government decided to declare November 26 as "Constitution Day," which was announced by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on November 19, 2015.

Among all the committees of the Constituent Assembly, the most important committee was the Drafting Committee set up on August 29, 1947. It was this committee which was entrusted with the task of preparing a draft of the new Constitution. It consisted of seven members under the chairmanship of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Hence, Statement I is correct, but Statement II is incorrect.

57. Indian Constitution was adopted by- [39th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 1994]

Correct Answer: (a) Constituent Assembly
Solution:It is explicitly mentioned in the Preamble itself that the Constitution was adopted and enacted by the Constituent Assembly (at its 11" session) on 26 November, 1949.

The Indian Constitution was made by the Constituent Assembly, which came into existence as per the provisions of the Cabinet Mission of May 1946. Its task was to formulate a Constitution for facilitating the appropriate transfer of sovereign power from British authorities to Indian hands.

  • 9 December 1946: The Constituent Assembly sat for the first time.
  • 11 December 1946: Rajendra Prasad as President, Harendra Coomar Mookerjee and V.T. Krishnamachari as the Vice Presidents were elected, and B. N. Rau as Constitutional legal advisor was appointed.
  • 13 December 1946: Jawaharlal Nehru introduced the famous "Objective Resolution" in the Assembly, which laid down the philosophy of the Constitution of India.
  • 22 January 1947: The Resolution was unanimously adopted by the Assembly.
  • July 1947-Indian Independence act, 1947: The Act made the following changes in the position of the Constituent Assembly:

The Assembly was given complete autonomy and the power to draft any Constitution it chose. The Act gave the Assembly the authority to annul or amend any law passed by the British Parliament regarding India. The Assembly was also given legislative authority. As a result, the Assembly was elected as India's first free Parliament (Dominion Legislature). Dr. Rajendra Prasad presided over meetings of the Assembly as the Constituent body, and G.V. Mavlankar presided over those of the Assembly as the Legislative body.

  • July-October 1947: Preparation of the first draft by the Constitutional advisor, Constitutional Advisor started putting together the first draft of the Constitution by aligning the reports already discussed and adopted.
  • 22 July 1947: The Constituent Assembly adopted the National flag.
  • October 1947- February 1948: Deliberations in Drafting Committee and resultant draft Constitution, Drafting committee produced the draft Constitution by February 21, 1948, which contained 315 Articles and 8 Schedules.
  • 4 November 1948-9 November 1948 (First reading): Drafting committee published the draft Constitution of India in February 1948. The draft was introduced in the Assembly in November 1948.
  • 15 November 1948-17 October 1949 (Second reading): Clause-by-clause draft discussion was conducted in the Assembly.
  • May 1949: The Constituent Assembly accepted and approved India's membership of the British Commonwealth.
  • 14 November 1949-26 November 1949 (Third reading): The Assembly finished the third reading.
  • 26 November 1949: The Constituent Assembly passed and adopted the Constitution of India.
  • 24 January 1950: The Constituent Assembly elected Dr. Rajendra Prasad as the first President of India and, adopted the National anthem and National song.

58. The Constitution of India was enacted on 26 November, 1949 by the- [U.P. P.C.S. (Mains) 2012]

Correct Answer: (a) Constituent Assembly
Solution:It is explicitly mentioned in the Preamble itself that the Constitution was adopted and enacted by the Constituent Assembly (at its 11" session) on 26 November, 1949.

The Indian Constitution was made by the Constituent Assembly, which came into existence as per the provisions of the Cabinet Mission of May 1946. Its task was to formulate a Constitution for facilitating the appropriate transfer of sovereign power from British authorities to Indian hands.

  • 9 December 1946: The Constituent Assembly sat for the first time.
  • 11 December 1946: Rajendra Prasad as President, Harendra Coomar Mookerjee and V.T. Krishnamachari as the Vice Presidents were elected, and B. N. Rau as Constitutional legal advisor was appointed.
  • 13 December 1946: Jawaharlal Nehru introduced the famous "Objective Resolution" in the Assembly, which laid down the philosophy of the Constitution of India.
  • 22 January 1947: The Resolution was unanimously adopted by the Assembly.
  • July 1947-Indian Independence act, 1947: The Act made the following changes in the position of the Constituent Assembly:

The Assembly was given complete autonomy and the power to draft any Constitution it chose. The Act gave the Assembly the authority to annul or amend any law passed by the British Parliament regarding India. The Assembly was also given legislative authority. As a result, the Assembly was elected as India's first free Parliament (Dominion Legislature). Dr. Rajendra Prasad presided over meetings of the Assembly as the Constituent body, and G.V. Mavlankar presided over those of the Assembly as the Legislative body.

  • July-October 1947: Preparation of the first draft by the Constitutional advisor, Constitutional Advisor started putting together the first draft of the Constitution by aligning the reports already discussed and adopted.
  • 22 July 1947: The Constituent Assembly adopted the National flag.
  • October 1947- February 1948: Deliberations in Drafting Committee and resultant draft Constitution, Drafting committee produced the draft Constitution by February 21, 1948, which contained 315 Articles and 8 Schedules.
  • 4 November 1948-9 November 1948 (First reading): Drafting committee published the draft Constitution of India in February 1948. The draft was introduced in the Assembly in November 1948.
  • 15 November 1948-17 October 1949 (Second reading): Clause-by-clause draft discussion was conducted in the Assembly.
  • May 1949: The Constituent Assembly accepted and approved India's membership of the British Commonwealth.
  • 14 November 1949-26 November 1949 (Third reading): The Assembly finished the third reading.
  • 26 November 1949: The Constituent Assembly passed and adopted the Constitution of India.
  • 24 January 1950: The Constituent Assembly elected Dr. Rajendra Prasad as the first President of India and, adopted the National anthem and National song.

59. The Constitution of India was adopted and enacted on- [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2013, U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2015]

Correct Answer: (c) 26 November, 1949
Solution:It is explicitly mentioned in the Preamble itself that the Constitution was adopted and enacted by the Constituent Assembly (at its 11" session) on 26 November, 1949.

The Indian Constitution was made by the Constituent Assembly, which came into existence as per the provisions of the Cabinet Mission of May 1946. Its task was to formulate a Constitution for facilitating the appropriate transfer of sovereign power from British authorities to Indian hands.

  • 9 December 1946: The Constituent Assembly sat for the first time.
  • 11 December 1946: Rajendra Prasad as President, Harendra Coomar Mookerjee and V.T. Krishnamachari as the Vice Presidents were elected, and B. N. Rau as Constitutional legal advisor was appointed.
  • 13 December 1946: Jawaharlal Nehru introduced the famous "Objective Resolution" in the Assembly, which laid down the philosophy of the Constitution of India.
  • 22 January 1947: The Resolution was unanimously adopted by the Assembly.
  • July 1947-Indian Independence act, 1947: The Act made the following changes in the position of the Constituent Assembly:

The Assembly was given complete autonomy and the power to draft any Constitution it chose. The Act gave the Assembly the authority to annul or amend any law passed by the British Parliament regarding India. The Assembly was also given legislative authority. As a result, the Assembly was elected as India's first free Parliament (Dominion Legislature). Dr. Rajendra Prasad presided over meetings of the Assembly as the Constituent body, and G.V. Mavlankar presided over those of the Assembly as the Legislative body.

  • July-October 1947: Preparation of the first draft by the Constitutional advisor, Constitutional Advisor started putting together the first draft of the Constitution by aligning the reports already discussed and adopted.
  • 22 July 1947: The Constituent Assembly adopted the National flag.
  • October 1947- February 1948: Deliberations in Drafting Committee and resultant draft Constitution, Drafting committee produced the draft Constitution by February 21, 1948, which contained 315 Articles and 8 Schedules.
  • 4 November 1948-9 November 1948 (First reading): Drafting committee published the draft Constitution of India in February 1948. The draft was introduced in the Assembly in November 1948.
  • 15 November 1948-17 October 1949 (Second reading): Clause-by-clause draft discussion was conducted in the Assembly.
  • May 1949: The Constituent Assembly accepted and approved India's membership of the British Commonwealth.
  • 14 November 1949-26 November 1949 (Third reading): The Assembly finished the third reading.
  • 26 November 1949: The Constituent Assembly passed and adopted the Constitution of India.
  • 24 January 1950: The Constituent Assembly elected Dr. Rajendra Prasad as the first President of India and, adopted the National anthem and National song.

60. Consider the following events and arrange these in correct chronological order starting from the earliest to the last activity: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre.) 2023]

(1) Appointment of the Drafting Committee

(II) Indian Constitution was adopted and enacted

(III) Date of commencement of Indian Constitution

(IV) Constitution Assembly first met

Select the correct answer from the code given below:

Correct Answer: (a) IV, I, II, III
Solution:Appointment of the Drafting Committee-29 August, 1947. Indian constitution was adopted and enacted-26 November,1949. Date of commencement of Indian Constitution-26 January, 1950. Constitution/Constituent Assembly first met- 9 December, 1946. Hence, option (a) is correct answer.