Previous Year Question
Consider the following events and arrange these in correct chronological order starting from the earliest to the last activity -
I. Appointment of the Drafting Committee
II. Indian Constitution was adopted and enacted
III. Date of commencement of Indian Constitution
IV. Constitution Assembly first met
Select the correct answer from the code given below.
Code:
III, II, I, IV
IV, I, III, II
IV, I, II, III
I, II, IV, III
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
The correct chronological order of these events relating to the making of the Indian Constitution begins with the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly and ends with the commencement of the Constitution.
IV. First meeting of the Constituent Assembly — 9 December 1946
The Constituent Assembly held its first meeting on 9 December 1946 in Constitution Hall, New Delhi, now known as the Central Hall of Parliament House.
Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha presided over this meeting as the temporary Chairman of the Constituent Assembly.
Subsequently, on 11 December 1946, Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected the permanent President of the Constituent Assembly.
Thus, the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly was the earliest event among those given in the question.
I. Appointment of the Drafting Committee — 29 August 1947
The Constituent Assembly constituted the Drafting Committee on 29 August 1947 to prepare the draft of the Constitution.
The Committee consisted of seven members, including Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. At its first meeting on 30 August 1947, Dr. Ambedkar was elected its Chairman.
The Drafting Committee was responsible for organising the decisions of the Constituent Assembly and finalising the draft of the Constitution.
Therefore, the Drafting Committee was constituted after the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly.
II. Adoption and enactment of the Constitution — 26 November 1949
The Constituent Assembly adopted and enacted the Indian Constitution on 26 November 1949.
This date marks the formal completion of the constitution-making process.
Constitution Day is observed annually on 26 November to commemorate this historic event.
An important point is that the adoption of the Constitution and its full commencement are two different events.
III. Commencement of the Constitution — 26 January 1950
The Indian Constitution came fully into force on 26 January 1950. India became a Republic on the same day.
According to Article 394, certain provisions of the Constitution came into force on 26 November 1949 itself, while the remaining provisions came into force on 26 January 1950.
Thus, the Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949 and came fully into force on 26 January 1950.
Correct chronological order:
IV (9 December 1946) → I (29 August 1947) → II (26 November 1949) → III (26 January 1950)