Drafting Committee of the Constitution of India

The Drafting Committee of the Constitution of India was the most crucial body in the process of framing the Indian Constitution. Appointed by the Constituent Assembly on 29 August 1947, this committee was entrusted with the monumental task of preparing the first draft of the Constitution, which would serve as the supreme law of the independent Republic of India. Under the leadership of Dr B. R. Ambedkar, the committee translated the ideals of the freedom movement into a comprehensive legal and political document that laid the foundation of modern India.

Background and Formation

After India achieved independence in August 1947, the Constituent Assembly, which had been functioning since December 1946, accelerated its work to finalise the Constitution of the new nation. Several committees were established to deal with different aspects of constitution-making, such as fundamental rights, union and provincial powers, and minority safeguards.
The Drafting Committee was one of the most significant among these. It was formed after the reports of the other committees had been submitted, with the primary objective of converting their recommendations into a coherent and legally consistent draft constitution.
The committee was formally constituted on 29 August 1947, with Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar appointed as its Chairman owing to his expertise in law, constitutional design, and governance.

Members of the Drafting Committee

The Drafting Committee originally consisted of seven members, representing different political and social backgrounds within the Constituent Assembly:

1. Dr B. R. Ambedkar – Chairman
2. N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar – Former Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and member of the Constituent Assembly from Madras.
3. Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar – Eminent jurist and Advocate-General of Madras.
4. K. M. Munshi – Renowned lawyer, writer, and freedom fighter from Bombay.
5. Syed Mohammad Saadullah – Former Premier of Assam and representative of the Muslim community.
6. B. L. Mitter – Legal expert and Advocate-General of Bengal (later replaced by N. Madhava Rau, a civil servant, after Mitter’s resignation due to ill health).
7. D. P. Khaitan – Leading lawyer and industrialist (passed away in 1948 and was not replaced).

Though the committee was small in size, it drew upon the work of numerous subcommittees and constitutional experts to ensure that the draft represented the collective vision of the Assembly.

Role and Functions of the Drafting Committee

The primary responsibility of the committee was to prepare a draft Constitution based on the decisions and reports submitted by other committees of the Constituent Assembly. Its major functions included:

• Examining the reports of various committees, including the Union Powers Committee, Provincial Constitution Committee, and Fundamental Rights Subcommittee.
• Integrating and systematising these reports into a single, coherent constitutional framework.
• Ensuring that the proposed provisions were legally sound and consistent with democratic principles.
• Revising the draft in response to debates and amendments proposed by the Constituent Assembly.

Process of Drafting

The work of the Drafting Committee was intense and meticulous. The drafting process took place in several stages:

1. First Draft (February 1948): The initial draft of the Constitution was prepared and circulated to the members of the Constituent Assembly and provincial governments for feedback.
2. Second Draft (October 1948): After considering suggestions and criticisms, the committee released a revised draft.
3. Debate and Revision: The draft Constitution was debated clause by clause in the Constituent Assembly between November 1948 and October 1949. The Assembly considered over 2,000 amendments, of which approximately 247 were adopted.
4. Final Adoption: The final version of the Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949, and it came into force on 26 January 1950 — celebrated thereafter as Republic Day.

During this period, the committee met for over 141 days and reviewed every clause, ensuring that the document was legally robust, administratively practical, and reflective of India’s pluralistic society.

Contribution of Dr B. R. Ambedkar

As the Chairman, Dr B. R. Ambedkar played an indispensable role in shaping the Indian Constitution. His deep understanding of law, economics, and political philosophy enabled him to harmonise competing interests and ideologies. He ensured that the Constitution incorporated principles of justice, equality, liberty, and fraternity while maintaining a balance between the rights of citizens and the authority of the state.
Ambedkar’s key contributions included:

• Drafting of the Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy, balancing individual freedom with social welfare.
• Establishment of a Parliamentary form of government with a strong Centre to maintain unity and integrity.
• Protection of the rights of minorities, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes.
• Creation of an independent judiciary with the power of judicial review.
• Introduction of universal adult franchise, ensuring equality in political participation.

His leadership earned him the title of the “Chief Architect of the Indian Constitution.”

Challenges Faced by the Committee

The Drafting Committee faced numerous challenges during its work:

• Reconciling Diverse Views: The Constituent Assembly represented varied regional, religious, and political interests that had to be accommodated.
• Absence of Precedent: Framing a Constitution for such a vast, diverse, and newly independent nation required innovation while learning from global models.
• Time Constraints: Despite the enormity of the task, the committee had to deliver the draft within a limited time frame.
• Integration of Princely States: The political integration of over 560 princely states necessitated flexible constitutional arrangements.
• Balancing Centralisation and Federalism: The committee had to ensure a strong Centre while respecting the autonomy of states.

Despite these obstacles, the committee succeeded in producing a document that combined flexibility with stability, tradition with modernity, and unity with diversity.

Influences on the Drafting Process

The Indian Constitution drew from several global sources while adapting them to Indian realities:

• British Model: Parliamentary democracy and the rule of law.
• American Constitution: Fundamental rights and judicial review.
• Irish Constitution: Directive Principles of State Policy.
• Canadian and Australian Systems: Federal structure with a strong Centre.
• Weimar Constitution (Germany): Emergency provisions.

By combining these influences with indigenous principles, the Drafting Committee ensured that the Constitution was uniquely Indian in character while embodying universal democratic ideals.

Outcome and Legacy

The Constitution of India, as finally adopted, comprised:

• 395 Articles and 8 Schedules (later expanded to 12).
• It established India as a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic.
• It laid down the framework for governance, fundamental rights, and the duties of citizens and institutions.

The Drafting Committee’s work resulted in a Constitution that remains the longest written Constitution in the world and one of the most comprehensive in scope.

Significance

The work of the Drafting Committee holds immense historical and political significance:

• It provided India with a democratic framework capable of managing its diversity.
• It ensured the inclusion of social justice principles, making the Constitution a transformative document.
• It institutionalised constitutional supremacy, ensuring that all political authority operates within a legal framework.
• It set the foundation for modern governance and civil liberties in post-colonial India.