Constituent Assembly of India

Constituent Assembly  

• MN Roy proposed the concept of a constituent assembly for the first time. For the first time, the Indian National Congress (INC) officially called for a constituent assembly to draught a constitution for India in 1935. In 1938, Jawahar Lal Nehru stated emphatically, "The constitution of free India must be framed, without outside interference, by a constituent assembly elected on the basis of adult franchise.  
• The British accepted the demand for a constituent assembly for the first time in their 'August offer' of 1940. The Cabinet Mission plan eventually resulted in the formation of a constituent assembly.  

August Offer (1940)  

• Lord Linlithgow, Viceroy of India, made the August Offer in August 1940.   
• It is known as 'The August Offer' because it was introduced in August.   
• The August Offer was made by Viceroy Linlithgow, who promised to establish an advisory war council, to expand and include more Indians in the Viceroy Executive Council, and to establish a representative Indian body to draught the Indian Constitution. In exchange, the British desired Indian support during World War II.  
• Background of August Offer  
  • The Second World War was the bloodiest conflict in history.  
  • It began in 1939 and involved over 100 million people from 30 countries.  
  • Without the Indians' consent, the British government drew India into the war.  
  • This irritated India's leaders with the British government.  
  • In the year 1940, Britain experienced a change in government. Winston Churchill was elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.  
  • France, a British ally during the war, had fallen to Axis power under Hitler.  
  • During this time, the British were hoping to gain Indian support for the war.  
  • The Indian National Congress agreed to join the war effort but made few demands.  
  • India sought total independence from colonial rule.  
  • The British government's response to Indian demands was known as "the August Offer," which was made by the Viceroy of India Lord Linlithgow.  
  • For the first time, Indians' right to write their own constitution was recognised.  
• Proposal of August Offer  
  • The British government proposed dominion status for India as a goal.  
  • Following the war, a representative Indian body would be formed to draught the country's constitution.  
  • The Viceroy's Council would be expanded to include more Indians than whites.  
  • Following the war, an advising war council would be formed.  
  • However, the British government refused to grant complete independence.  
  • The British will retain control of the defence, finance, and home affairs, as well as all services provided by the Republic of India.  
  • Viceroy also stated that the dispute between the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Muslim League will be resolved before any constitutional reform.  
  • Minorities were assured that their opinions would be considered in a future constitution.  

Response to August Offer  

• • The Congress turned down the August Offer of 1940 because they wanted complete independence, but they were instead offered Dominion status.  
  • The League, too, declined the offer, stating that they would accept nothing less than the country's dissolution.  
  • Following this, Mahatma Gandhi launched the Individual Satyagraha to defend the freedom of expression. He avoided a mass satyagraha because he did not want to use violence.  
  • The first three satyagrahis were Vinoba Bhave, Nehru, and Brahma Datt. All three received prison sentences.  
  • The satyagrahis also launched the 'Delhi Chalo Movement,' a march towards Delhi.  
  • The movement failed to gain traction and was eventually abandoned in December 1940.  
  • Following the failure of the August Offer, the British government sent the Cripps Mission to India in an effort to gain Indian support for the war.  

Evaluation of August Offer  

• • The inherent right of Indians to write their own constitution was recognised for the first time, and Congress' demand for a constituent assembly was granted.  
  • The Dominion status was explicitly offered.  
  • In July 1941, the viceroy's executive council was expanded, giving Indians a majority of 8 out of 12 for the first time, but the British retained control of the defence, finance, and home affairs.  
  • A National Defence Council with purely advisory functions was also established.  

Conclusion  

• • Despite the rejection of The August Offer, the British still required Indian assistance in the war. As a result, they modified the August Offer slightly and developed the Cripps Proposal in 1942. The August Offer paved the way for constitutional drafting, and Congress agreed to convene a constituent assembly.  

Cripps Mission (March 1942)  

• The Cripps mission, led by Stafford Cripps, was sent to India in March 1942 with constitutional proposals in order to gain Indian support for the war effort. Stafford Cripps, a member of the British War Cabinet and the leader of the House of Commons, was a left-wing Labourite who actively supported the Indian national movement.  
• Cripps Mission - Background  
  • Japan advanced beyond India's eastern borders, and the fall of Burma was a shock to the British.  
  • The Japanese invasion of India was looming, and Indian support was critical to the British war effort.  
  • When the Second World War broke out in 1939, Viceroy Lord Linlithgow declared India a war party in the British Empire. It was done without consulting the Indians and sparked major congressional protests.  
  • The party leaders who presided over seven provincial governments resigned. It was celebrated as "Deliverance Day by the Muslim League.  
  • The US and other allied leaders put pressure on Britain to implement its own colonial policies in India, as well as to gain Indian participation in the Allied war effort.  
  • This prompted the British government to dispatch Cripps to India.  
• Reasons for the Cripps Mission's visit to India  
  • In South-East Asia, the British suffered setbacks. As a result, India was threatened with an invasion by the Japanese.  
  • The British allies, namely the United States, the Soviet Union, and China, compelled Britain to seek Indian assistance in the war.  
  • In exchange for complete independence from Britain soon after the war, India agreed to support Britain in the war.  
• Main Proposal of Cripps Mission  
  • The formation of an Indian union with Dominion status would occur.  
  • The Indian union would be free to choose its relations with the Commonwealth and international organisations such as the UN.  
  • The Indian defence sector was to be controlled by the British.  
  • The powers of the governor-general were preserved.  
  • To draft a new constitution, a constituent assembly was formed, which was to be partly elected by provincial assemblies and partly nominated by the Princely States.  
  • The British government would accept the new constitution on two conditions: any province unwilling to join the Union could have its own constitution and form its own Union, and the new constitution-making body and the British government would negotiate a treaty to transfer power and protect racial and religious minorities.  
• The Importance of the Cripps Mission  
  • The creation of the constitution was to be in Indian hands solely (rather than 'primarily,' as stated in the August Offer).  
  • A concrete plan was presented to the constituent assembly.  
  • Any province could have its own constitution, laying the groundwork for India's partition.  
  • Free India could leave the Commonwealth.  
  • During the interim period, Indians were given a large share of administration.  
• Failure of Cripps Mission  
  • The Cripps Mission proposals failed to satisfy Indian nationalists and proved to be nothing more than a tool for US and Chinese propaganda.  

  • The proposals were deemed too radical by the British, while they were deemed too conservative by the INC, which sought complete independence.  

  • The Mission was opposed by the INC, the Muslim League, and other Indian organisations.  

     

  • Both the Hindu Mahasabha and the Liberals opposed the states' right to secede.  

  • The Depressed Classes were concerned about their position in a country where they would be a minority.  

  • The mission is also thought to have failed because Viceroy Linlithgow, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Secretary of State for India, Leo Amery, did not support it.  

  • The explanation that the proposals were meant to supplement rather than replace the August Offer called the British intentions into question.  

  • Cripps' unwillingness to go beyond the Draft Declaration, as well as his rigid "take it or leave it" attitude, exacerbated the impasse.  

  • Cripps had previously mentioned "cabinet" and "national government," but later clarified that he was only referring to a larger executive council.  

  • The procedure for joining was unclear. To decide on secession, a resolution in the legislature with a 60% majority was to be used.  

  • If less than 60% of members voted in favour, the decision would be made by a simple majority vote of adult males in that province.  

  • This scheme worked against Hindus in Punjab and Bengal who wanted to join the Indian Union.  

  • Who would implement and interpret the treaty that resulted in the transfer of power was unclear.  

     

  • Negotiations were stymied by the viceroy's veto.  

  • Gandhi called the scheme a "post-dated cheque."  

• The Reasons for INC's Rejection  
  • The provision for dominion status rather than complete independence.  
  • The princely states are represented by nominees rather than elected representatives.  
  • The right of provinces to secede was denied because it violated the principle of national unity.  
  • There was no plan for an immediate transfer of power, and there was no real share in defence; the governor-general's supremacy was retained, as was the demand that the governor-general is only the constituency governor.  
• The Reasons for the Muslim League's Rejection  
  • They were opposed to the idea of a single Indian Union.  
  • They were against the machinery for forming a constituent assembly as well as the procedure for deciding on provinces' admission to the Union.  
  • They believed that the proposals denied Muslims the right to self-determination and prevented Pakistan from being established.  
• Conclusion  
  • Stafford Cripps left behind a frustrated and enraged Indian people who, while sympathising with the victims of Fascist aggression, felt that the country's current situation had become intolerable and that the time had come for a final assault on imperialism. Following the mission's failure, Gandhi led Congress to launch their new campaign, the Quit India Movement, in August 1942. The Quit India Movement is a well-known chapter in India's struggle for independence.  

Cabinet Mission,1946  

• Introduction  
  • The Cabinet Mission Plan was a statement issued on May 16, 1946, by the Cabinet Mission and the Viceroy, Lord Wavell, that contained proposals for India's constitutional future in the aftermath of Indian political parties and representatives failing to reach an agreement.  
  • Lord Penthick-Lawrence, Secretary of State for India, Sir Stafford Cripps, President of the Board of Trade, and A.V Alexander, First Lord of the Admiralty comprised the Cabinet Mission.  
• Background  
  • In September 1945, the newly elected Labour government in Britain stated its intention to form a Constituent Assembly for India to frame the country's constitution, and the Cabinet Mission was dispatched to India in March 1946 to accomplish this.  
  • The Mission faced a major challenge: the two major political parties, the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League, had fundamental disagreements about India's future.  
  • The desire for a united India stemmed from both British pride in having politically unified the subcontinent and most British authorities' doubts about Pakistan's feasibility.  
  • At the Shimla Conference, the Mission attempted to mediate an agreement between the Muslim League and the Congress. When this failed, the Mission issued its own proposals, dubbed the Cabinet Mission Plan.  
  • When the mission arrived in the subcontinent, it was discovered that both parties, the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League, were unwilling to reach an agreement.  
  • The two parties had done well in the general and provincial elections, emerging as the subcontinent's two main parties.  
  • The Muslim League had won approximately 90% of the seats for Muslims, prompting Jinnah to bargain with the British and Congress.  
  • Having established the system of separate electorates, the British could no longer reverse its consequences, despite their genuine commitment to Indian unity.  

Cabinet Mission plan  

• The plan recommended the following for the Constitution:   
  • There should be a Union of India, encompassing both British India and the States, that deals with the following subjects: Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Communications; and that has the power to raise the necessary funds for the above subjects.  
  • The Union should have an Executive and a Legislature made up of representatives from British Indians and states. Any question in the Legislature that raises a major communal issue should require a majority of the representatives present and voting from each of the two major communities, as well as a majority of all members present and voting.  
  • All subjects other than Union subjects, as well as all residuary powers, should be devolved to the provinces.  
  • All subjects and powers not ceded to the Union will be retained by the states.  
  • Provinces should be free to form groups with Executives and Legislatures, and each group should be able to choose which Provincial subjects to study together.  
  • The Constitutions of the Union and the groups should include a provision allowing any Province to call for a reconsideration of the terms of the Constitution by a majority vote of its Legislative Assembly after an initial period of ten years and at ten-year intervals thereafter.  
  • In response to the demand for a full-fledged Pakistan,  
  • Existing provincial assemblies are divided into three sections.  
  • Section A is for Hindu-majority provinces, while Sections B and C are for Muslim-majority provinces.  
  • The British government would no longer have supremacy over princely states. They would be free to negotiate with successor governments or the British government.  
• Reactions  
  • The Muslim League and the Congress Party initially supported the Plan.  
  • However, the Congress Party quickly rejected the plan's 'grouping' component, specifically because it was concerned about and opposed the grouping of provinces based on religion.  
  • Because the Muslim League was unwilling to change any aspect of the Plan, any agreement reached between Congress and the Muslim League fell through.  
  • The Cabinet Mission's subsequent attempts at reconciliation failed.  
  • Nonetheless, the Constituent Assembly convened and an interim government was formed, with Jawaharlal Nehru as Prime Minister. The Muslim League refused to participate in either; instead, it organised a "Direct Action Day," which resulted in widespread violence across the country.  
• Significance  
  • The Plan, also known as the 'State Paper,' had a significant impact on the Constituent Assembly's early deliberations, particularly the debates over Nehru's Objective Resolution and federalism.  
  • The Assembly recognised that it was a creation of the Plan; it wanted to adhere to the Plan's proposals as much as possible in order to maintain its legal legitimacy and to keep the door open for the Muslim League to join its proceedings. At the same time, the Assembly claimed that its legitimacy came from the people of India, not from the Plan.  
  • Furthermore, the Cabinet Mission Plan is essential for scholarly works that address various aspects of Indian constitutionalism, law, politics, and history, particularly partition and federalism.  
  • Some scholars, emphasise that the British self-interest behind the setting up of the Cabinet Mission was 'to secure Britain's defence interests in India and the Indian Ocean Area'.  
  • Other academics have evaluated the Cabinet Mission and its Plan: Granville Austin contends that the Cabinet Mission ('non-Indians') should never have attempted to mediate between the Congress and the Muslim League because 'it was doomed to fail'.
  • Overall, the Cabinet Mission Plan remains useful for scholars and the general public in understanding and making sense of not only the origins of the Indian Constitution but also the future of the Indian republic.  

Constituent Assembly of India  

• On the basis of the cabinet mission plan, the constituent assembly was formed in 1946 to frame the constitutional assembly for India. The constituent assembly is a democratically elected body tasked with drafting a constitution. The assembly is dissolved once the constitution is completed. Because members of the constituent assembly are elected or unelected representatives, it is considered a form of representative democracy. M.N. Roy proposed the concept of a constituent assembly for the first time in 1934.  
• Meaning of Constituent Assembly  
  • A constituent assembly is a body of representatives elected to create or amend the constitution of their country.  
• Historical Context  
  • India's Constituent Assembly - Historical Background  
  • M N Roy proposed the concept of a constituent assembly in 1934.  
  • The Congress Party adopted the demand as an official demand in 1935.  
  • This was accepted by the British in the August Offer of 1940.  
  • Under the Cabinet Mission plan of 1946, elections were held to form the constituent assembly.  
  • Members of this assembly were elected indirectly, that is, by members of provincial assemblies using a single transferable vote of prop.  
• Objective  
  • The representatives of the princely states were to be chosen by the heads of the princely states.  
  • The goal of the Constituent Assembly was to draught an acceptable Constitution as the only way to implement India's self-determination principle.  
  • To write a constitution that allows for the proper transfer of sovereignty from British to Indian hands.  
• Provisions of the Constituent Assembly  
  • The Assembly was established by Section 8 of the Indian Independence Act of 1947.  
  • The Constituent Assembly of India was formed in accordance with the Cabinet Mission Plan of May 1946.  
  • The Assembly had 389 members representing provinces (292), states (93), Chief Commissioner Provinces (3), and Balochistan (1)  
  • The Assembly met for the first time on December 9, 1946, and elected Dr. Sachhidannand Sinha, the Assembly's oldest member, as Provisional President.  
  • On December 11, 1946, Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected as the Assembly's permanent Chairman.  
  • The Assembly was to be made up of representatives from existing provincial legislatures and princely states, with proportional representation.  
  • The Assembly would be divided into three sections: Punjab and the North West, Bengal and Assam, and the rest of India.  
  • The constitutions for the Indian Union, each Section, and each Province within them were to be written.  
  • Because the Muslim League, which had won the majority of the 80 Muslim seats and dominated two smaller Sections, chose not to participate, the Assembly never convened in sections.  
  • Following the British Parliament's passage of the Indian Independence Act, it was decided that members who wanted to keep their seats in the provincial legislature would vacate their seats in the Assembly.  
  • Several members of the provincial legislature, however, continued to attend and participate in the Assembly until a provision in the Constitution was added to prohibit this.  
  • The declaration of India's partition resulted in the greatest change in membership.  
  • Following a lack of interest, the princely states began negotiating their representation with an Assembly committee.  
  • Hundreds of princely states were gradually amalgamated into larger associations, and provisions were made for them to elect representatives to the Assembly.  
  • New members kept coming in until the Assembly's final day. Hyderabad did not send a representative until the very end.  
  • According to records, the Assembly had a maximum membership of 307 near the end of its tenure.  
  • Several non-members helped the Assembly draught the Constitution.  
  • Outside the Assembly, the Assembly asked prominent public figures to serve on committees formed to focus on specific features or segments.  
  • These committees were in charge of much of the development of the constitution, both procedurally and substantively.  
  • Following discussions, resolutions were moved and adopted to establish committees as needed.  
  • To draught the constitution, the Constituent Assembly formed 13 committees.  
  • Based on the reports of these committees, a seven-member committee drafted the constitution.  
  • In January 1948, the draught constitution was made public, and the public had eight months to debate it and propose amendments.  
  • Following the receipt of comments in response to the February 1948 Draft Constitution, the so-called Special Committee was formed to determine the next steps.  
  • On November 26, 1949, the draught was finally adopted and signed by the President of the Assembly after being discussed by the people, the press, the provincial assemblies, and the constituent Assembly in light of the suggestions received.  
  • The Constituent Assembly was naturally dissolved following the authentication of the Constitution's copies, with its Chairperson elected President of India and its staff diverted to other avenues.  
  • The majority of the Assembly, however, continued to function as India's provisional parliament until the first general elections were held.  
  • In the summer of 1951, this provisional Parliament did, in fact, make the first amendment to the Indian Constitution.  
• Presiding Officers  
  • The Assembly met for the first time on December 9, 1946, and elected Dr Sachhidannand Sinha, the Assembly's oldest member, as Provisional President.  
  • On December 11, 1946, Dr Rajendra Prasad was elected as the Assembly's permanent Chairman.  
• Composition  
  • The Assembly was to be made up of representatives from existing provincial legislatures and princely states, with proportional representation.  
  • The Assembly would be divided into three sections: Punjab and the North West, Bengal and Assam, and the rest of India.  
  • The constitutions for the Indian Union, each Section, and each Province within them were to be written.  
  • Because the Muslim League, which had won the majority of the 80 Muslim seats and dominated two smaller Sections, refused to participate, the Assembly never convened separate sections.  
  • Following the British Parliament's passage of the Indian Independence Act, it was decided that members who wanted to keep their seats in the provincial legislature would vacate their seats in the Assembly.  
  • Several members of the provincial legislature, however, continued to attend and participate in the Assembly until a provision in the Constitution was added to prohibit this.  
• Changes that occurred following the declaration of partition  
  • The declaration of India's partition resulted in the greatest change in membership.  
  • Following a lack of interest, the princely states began negotiating their representation with an Assembly committee.  
  • Hundreds of princely states were gradually amalgamated into larger associations, and provisions were made for them to elect representatives to the Assembly.  
  • New members kept coming in until the Assembly's final day. Hyderabad did not send a representative until the very end.  
  • According to records, the Assembly had a maximum membership of 307 near the end of its tenure.  
• Non-Constituent Assembly Members' Contribution  
  • Several non-members helped the Assembly draught the Constitution.  
  • Outside the Assembly, the Assembly asked prominent public figures to serve on committees formed to focus on specific features or segments.  
  • These committees were in charge of much of the development of the constitution, both procedurally and substantively.  
  • Following discussions, resolutions were moved and adopted to establish committees as needed.  
• Draft Committee  
  • To draft the constitution, the Constituent Assembly established 13 committees.  
  • Based on the reports of these committees, a seven-member committee drafted the constitution.  
  • The draft constitution was released in January 1948, giving the public eight months to debate it and propose amendments.  
  • Following the receipt of comments in response to the February 1948 Draft Constitution, the so-called Special Committee was formed to determine the next steps.  
  • On November 26, 1949, the draught was finally adopted and signed by the President of the Assembly after being discussed by the people, the press, the provincial assemblies, and the constituent Assembly in light of the suggestions received.  
• Constituent Assembly dissolution  
  • The Constituent Assembly was naturally dissolved following the authentication of the Constitution's copies, with its Chairperson elected President of India and its staff diverted to other avenues.  
  • The majority of the Assembly, however, continued to function as India's provisional parliament until the first general elections were held.  
  • In the summer of 1951, this provisional Parliament did, in fact, make the first amendment to the Indian Constitution.  
• Significance  
  • The Constitution was drafted by the Constituent Assembly, which was established under the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946.  
  • The drafting of the Constitution is now regarded as a monumental democratic achievement, for which the members should be lauded.  
  • Despite the fact that they were a multicultural group of people from various communities, these people were all committed to completing the historic task of establishing a democratic republic in India.  
  • The decision to grant universal adult franchises posed a significant risk to the Indian state, but it was also one of the most visible manifestations of democratic zeal.  
  • Our flag proudly flies over the Parliament in Delhi because of the members of the Constituent Assembly.  
  • Issues were debated until decisions were as unanimous as possible, and proceedings were open to the public and the press.  
• Challenges  

  • The Muslim League was the main critic of the Assembly, claiming that it was a Congress Hindu-dominated body.  

  • Because of this belief and conviction, the League never enthusiastically participated in the Constituent Assembly's deliberations and eventually withdrew.  

  • Another challenge confronting the assembly was developing a political framework that would keep India's various communities and princely states happy while preventing Balkanisation. 

  • To write a constitution that would benefit oppressed groups in society. 

  • The fathers wished for their vision of the country to live on after their deaths in order to ensure citizens' access to democratic processes in perpetuity. 

  • To write a constitution that effectively addresses communal violence. The violence that occurred as a result of the partition was a major motivator. 

  • To write a constitution that can accommodate princely states and their various demands.  

• Key Personnel Involved  
  • Rajendra Prasad was elected President of the Constituent Assembly, with Vice Presidents VT Krishnamachari and HC Mookerji.  
  • The Assembly's secretary-general was HVR Iyengar, and the Chief Draftsman was SN Mukherji.  
  • Dr B.R. Ambedkar, was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Assembly which earned him the popular moniker of 'Father of the Indian Constitution.  
  • Dr B.N. Rau compiled the initial draught that the assembly debated after receiving input from constitutional experts both at home and abroad.  

Adoption of National Symbols by India's Constituent Assembly  

• • It adopted the national flag on July 22, 1947.  
  • It adopted the national anthem on January 24, 1950.  
  • It adopted the national anthem on January 24, 1950.  
  • Dr Rajendra Prasad was elected as India's first President on January 24, 1950.  
  • Over the course of two years, 11 months, and 18 days, the Constituent Assembly met for 11 sessions. After reviewing the constitutions of approximately 60 countries, the Draft Constitution was debated for 114 days. The total cost of the Constitution was 64 lakhs.  

Criticism of the Constituent Assembly Of India  

• The critics have criticized the Constituent Assembly on various grounds. These are as follows:  
• Not a Representative Body: The Constituent Assembly was not a representative body, according to opponents, because its members were not directly elected by the people of India using the universal adult franchise.  
• Not a Sovereign Entity: Critics said that the Constituent Assembly was not a sovereign body because it was established by British government suggestions. They further claimed that the Assembly met with the authorization of the British government.  
• Time-consuming: Critics claim that the Constituent Assembly took an excessive amount of time to draught the Constitution. They claimed that the framers of the American Constitution finished their work in just four months.  
• The Congress party was said to have dominated the Constituent Assembly, according to critics. 'The Constituent Assembly was a one-party assembly in an essentially one-party society,' said British constitutional expert Granville Austin. The Assembly was the Congress, and India was the Congress.'  
• Lawyer-Politician Domination: According to critics, the Constituent Assembly was also dominated by attorneys and politicians. They claimed that other aspects of society were underrepresented. They believe that this is the primary reason for the Constitution's length and complexity of language.  
• Hindu-dominated: According to some critics, the Constituent Assembly was Hindu-dominated. Lord Viscount Simon called it "a Hindu body." Similarly, Winston Churchill stated that the Constituent Assembly represented "only one large community in India."  

Important Facts About India's Constituent Assembly  

• The elephant was chosen as the symbol of the Constituent Assembly (seal).  
• Sir B.N. Rau was appointed constitutional advisor to the Constituent Assembly (legal advisor).  
• H.V.R. Iyengar served as the Constituent Assembly's Secretary.  
• S.N. Mukerjee was the chief draughtsman of the constitution in the Constituent Assembly.  
• Prem Behari Narain Raizada was the calligrapher for the Indian Constitution. In a flowing italic style, he handwrote the original constitution.  
• Shantiniketan artists such as Nand Lal Bose and Beohar Rammanohar Sinha enhanced and embellished the original form.  
• Beohar Rammanohar Sinha lit, beautified, and adorned Prem Behari Narain Raizada's original Preamble.  
• Vasant Krishan Vaidya calligraphed the original constitution's Hindi translation, which Nand Lal Bose exquisitely embellished and illuminated.  

Conclusion 

• The Indian Constituent Assembly was elected to draught the Indian Constitution. It was elected by the 'Provincial Assembly'. After India gained independence from the British government in 1947, its members formed the country's first Parliament.