Question map
With reference to Indian History, the Members of the Constituent Assembly from the Provinces were
Explanation
The members of the Constituent Assembly from the British Indian Provinces were elected by the members of the Provincial Legislative Assemblies [2]. This process followed the scheme recommended by the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946 [2]. The election was indirect, as the provincial legislators themselves had been elected on a limited franchise based on property, tax, or education qualifications rather than universal adult franchise [4]. The method used for this indirect election was proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote [2]. While the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League nominated candidates for these seats, the formal selection mechanism was the vote within the provincial legislatures [3]. In contrast, representatives from the Princely States were nominated by the heads of those states, making the Constituent Assembly a partly elected and partly nominated body [1].
Sources
- [1] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 2: Making of the Constitution > The features of the scheme were: > p. 12
- [2] Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 2: Making of the Constitution > The features of the scheme were: > p. 12
- [3] History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 8: Reconstruction of Post-colonial India > 8.2 Making of the Constitution > p. 104
- [4] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART III, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 12: FRAMING THE CONSTITUTION > 1.1 The making of the Constituent Assembly > p. 318