Constitution snippets

The creation of a constitutional body was the outcome of the 1946 Cabinet Mission that aimed to discuss and finalize plans for the transfer of power from the British Raj to Indian leadership, providing India with independence under Dominion status . Members of the constituent assembly were chosen by indirect election by members of the Provincial Legislative Assemblies, according to the scheme recommended by the Cabinet Mission . With India’s independence, the constituent assembly became a fully sovereign body and fell to work on 9 December 1947 . The draft Constitution was published in January 1948. On November 4, 1948, the general discussion began. Between November 15, 1948 and October 17, 1949, the draft was thoroughly discussed clause by clause . As many as 7,635 amendments were proposed and 2,473 were actually discussed. Over the two years, 11 months and 17 days taken to frame the constitution, 114 days were spent on its consideration alone . The Constitution was adopted on November 26, 1949 and signed by Dr Rajendra Prasad as chairman of the constituent assembly. It came into force on January 26, 1950 . On this day, the constituent assembly ceased to exist, transforming itself into the Provisional Parliament of India until a new Parliament was constituted in 1952 .