Consider the following statements withrespect to Constituent Assembly:...
Constituent Assembly and its Functions:
The Constituent Assembly was established in India to draft the Constitution of India. It was formed on 9th December 1946, and its members were elected by the members of the provincial legislatures. The Constituent Assembly had 299 members initially, but later this number increased to 389. The Assembly was chaired by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, who served as its President.
Statement 1: Whenever the Constituent Assembly met as the legislative body, it was chaired by Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
This statement is incorrect. Dr. Rajendra Prasad served as the President of the Constituent Assembly, not its Chairperson when it met as the legislative body. The Chairperson of the Constituent Assembly when it met as the legislative body was H.V.R. Iengar.
Statement 2: The Constituent Assembly adopted the national anthem and the national song in 1947.
This statement is also incorrect. The Constituent Assembly did not adopt the national anthem and the national song in 1947. The national anthem, "Jana Gana Mana," was adopted on 24th January 1950, and the national song, "Vande Mataram," was adopted on 24th January 1950 as well. These adoptions took place when the Constitution of India came into effect.
Conclusion:
Neither statement 1 nor statement 2 is correct. Dr. Rajendra Prasad served as the President of the Constituent Assembly, not its Chairperson when it met as the legislative body. The Constituent Assembly adopted the national anthem and the national song in 1950, not in 1947. Therefore, the correct answer is option 'D' - Neither 1 nor 2.
Consider the following statements withrespect to Constituent Assembly:...
- The Constituent Assembly held its first meeting on December 9, 1946. On December 13, 1946, Jawaharlal Nehru moved the historic ‘Objectives Resolution’ in the Assembly. It laid down the fundamentals and philosophy of the constitutional structure. This Resolution was unanimously adopted by the Assembly on January 22, 1947.
- After the acceptance of the Mountbatten Plan of June 3, 1947, for the partition of the country, the representatives of most of the other princely states took their seats in the Assembly. The members of the Muslim League from the Indian Dominion also entered the Assembly.
- The Assembly was made a fully sovereign body, which could frame any Constitution it pleased.
- Two separate functions were assigned to the Assembly, that is, making of the Constitution for free India and enacting ordinary laws for the country. Whenever the Assembly met as the Constituent body it was chaired by Dr. Rajendra Prasad and when it met as the legislative body , it was chaired by G.V. Mavlankar. Hence statement 1 is not correct.
- The Muslim League members (hailing from the areas included in Pakistan) withdrew from the Constituent Assembly for India. Consequently, the total strength of the Assembly came down to 299 as against 389 originally fixed in 1946 under the Cabinet Mission Plan.
- In addition to the making of the Constitution and enacting of ordinary laws, the Constituent Assembly also performed the following functions:
- It ratified India’s membership of the Commonwealth in May 1949. o It adopted the national flag on July 22, 1947. o It adopted the national anthem on January 24, 1950. o It adopted the national song on January 24, 1950. Hence statement 2 is not correct.
- It elected Dr. Rajendra Prasad as the first President of India on January 24, 1950.
- In all, the Constituent Assembly had 11 sessions over two years, 11 months and 18 days. On January 24, 1950, the Constituent Assembly held its final session. It, however, did not end, and continued as the provisional parliament of India from January 26, 1950, till the formation of new Parliament after the first general elections in 1951–52.
To make sure you are not studying endlessly, EduRev has designed UPSC study material, with Structured Courses, Videos, & Test Series. Plus get personalized analysis, doubt solving and improvement plans to achieve a great score in UPSC.