Constituent Assembly as legislature
Also called: Dominion Parliament · Topic: Framing the Indian Constitution · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
After Independence in August 1947, the Constituent Assembly had two jobs. It kept writing the Constitution, and it also worked as free India's law-making body, the Dominion Legislature. When it met to make ordinary laws, G.V. Mavalankar presided. When it met to make the Constitution, Rajendra Prasad presided. After the Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950, the same body became the Provisional Parliament. It lasted until the first elected Lok Sabha met in 1952.
Example
From late 1947, the Assembly met on some days as a constitution-making body under Rajendra Prasad. On other days it met as the legislature under G.V. Mavalankar, who later became the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
Don't confuse with
- First Lok Sabha (1952): it was elected by universal adult franchise, which means every adult could vote. The Constituent Assembly was chosen by provincial legislatures.
Related concepts
- Constituent assembly demand
- Provincial elections of 1946
- Constituent Assembly of India
- Sachchidananda Sinha
- H.C. Mookerjee
- Committees of the Constituent Assembly
- Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights and Minorities
- Flag Committee
- National Flag of India