State whether the following inferences about the making of the Indian Constitution are Correct or Incorrect. Give reasons to support your answer.

A. The Constituent Assembly did not represent the Indian people since it was not elected by all citizens.


B. Constitution making did not involve any major decision since there was a general consensus among the leaders at that time about its basic framework.


C. There was little originality in the Constitution, for much of it was borrowed from other countries.

A. Members of the assembly were not elected by universal suffrage; there was severe effort to make the assembly a representative body. The members of all religions, province and social and economic groups were given representation. The assembly had members from scheduled castes as well. In term of political parties, the congress dominated the assembly occupying. The congress itself was a diverse party it managed to have room for all shades and of opinions within it. So, it’s incorrect to say that the constituent assembly did not represent the Indian people.


B. It is incorrect to say that constitution making did not involve any major decision among the leaders at the time of basic framework. There were several arguments, debates and discussion on most of the provisions. Each clause was subjected to inspection and debate. Mahatma Gandhi and B.R Ambedkar had different views on minorities and untouchables focused on ‘Constitutional Morality’. Other leaders had their own consensus and arguments, thus major decision making did took place considering all the factors of the society. Our constitution is not just web of rules but a moral commitment to begin a government that will accomplish promises that were made before to the people.


C. It is incorrect to say that there was little originality in the constitution though the framers were not averse to borrowing from other constitutional traditions. They borrowed a 90 percent of provisions from constitutions of different countries. India borrowed ideas from the constitution of Britain, US, Irish, France etc. Ideas or a feature which were borrowed was critically examined about its aptness to the conditions prevailing in India. While drawing the ideas its efficiency and problems of Indian people were considered.


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