Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution: Formation, Members, Challenges and Criticism

The making of the Indian Constitution was a historic and complex exercise undertaken after Independence. At the heart of this process was the Drafting Committee, a small but powerful body entrusted with converting diverse ideas and debates into a single constitutional document. Its work laid the legal and philosophical foundation of the Republic of India, balancing unity with diversity and rights with responsibilities.

Formation of the Drafting Committee

• The Drafting Committee was constituted on 29 August 1947, shortly after India attained Independence.
• Its formation was recommended by the Steering Committee of the Constituent Assembly, which was chaired by Rajendra Prasad.
• The objective was to entrust constitution-making to a compact group of legal experts who could systematically draft provisions after examining reports of various committees and assembly debates.
• The committee functioned as part of the Constituent Assembly of India, which had been formed in 1946.

Members of the Drafting Committee

• The Drafting Committee initially had seven members, representing legal expertise and administrative experience.
• The committee was chaired by B. R. Ambedkar, who played the most influential role and is widely regarded as the Father of the Indian Constitution.
• Other key members included Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar, N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar, K. M. Munshi, and Mohammad Saadulla.
• Some members such as B.L. Mitter and D.P. Khaitan resigned and were replaced by N. Madhava Rau and T. T. Krishnamachari respectively.

Objectives of the Drafting Committee

• The Drafting Committee aimed to create a Constitution suitable for India’s vast social, cultural, linguistic and religious diversity.
• Its objectives included guaranteeing Fundamental Rights, incorporating Directive Principles of State Policy, establishing a federal system with a strong Centre, and ensuring social justice, minority protection and equality.
• It also sought to design robust institutions such as the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary, with proper checks and balances.

Process and Stages of Drafting the Constitution

• The drafting process unfolded in multiple stages between 1946 and 1950.
• It began with the Objectives Resolution moved by Jawaharlal Nehru in December 1946, which laid down guiding principles.
• The constitutional adviser B. N. Rau prepared an initial draft, which was refined by the Drafting Committee.
• The first draft was published on 21 February 1948 and opened to public feedback.
• After extensive debates, amendments and revisions, the final Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949 and came into force on 26 January 1950.
• The entire process took 2 years, 11 months and 18 days.

Challenges Faced by the Drafting Committee

• The Drafting Committee worked under extremely challenging conditions.
• It had to reconcile conflicting political views, manage linguistic and religious diversity, and balance Fundamental Rights with Directive Principles.
• Deciding between a federal or unitary structure was another major challenge.
• The committee also had to adapt provisions borrowed from foreign constitutions to Indian conditions while drafting amid post-Partition instability, refugee crises and economic uncertainty.

Criticism of the Drafting Committee

• Despite its success, the Drafting Committee faced criticism.
• Many argued that it had limited representation, with only seven members and no woman member.
• Critics pointed to the dominant role of Dr Ambedkar, excessive borrowing from foreign constitutions, and the complex language of the Constitution.
• Some also felt that Fundamental Rights were subject to too many restrictions and that lawyers and elites dominated the drafting process.

Significance of the Drafting Committee

• The Drafting Committee transformed debates, ideals and aspirations into a workable constitutional framework.
• It ensured constitutional morality, rule of law and democratic governance.
• The Constitution drafted by the committee remains one of the longest and most detailed constitutions in the world, yet flexible enough to evolve through amendments.

Question

Q. The Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly was formed on which date?

A. 15 August 1947
B. 26 January 1950
C. 29 August 1947
D. 13 December 1946