National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution
Also called: NCRWC, Venkatachaliah Commission · Topic: Framing the Indian Constitution · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 4 "Framing the Constitution"
Meaning
The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC) was set up in 2000 by the Vajpayee government. It was headed by former Chief Justice of India M.N. Venkatachaliah. Its job was to look back at fifty years of the Constitution and suggest changes. However, it was told to work within the Constitution's basic structure, meaning its core features could not be changed. It submitted its report in 2002.
Example
The Venkatachaliah Commission made many suggestions. One was to be more careful in using Article 356, which lets the Centre take over a state government. The framers had given the Centre this strong power in 1946-49, and it had long been debated.
Don't confuse with
- Sarkaria Commission: an earlier body that looked only at Centre-state relations. The NCRWC reviewed the working of the whole Constitution.
Related concepts
- Universal adult franchise
- Indian secularism
- Right to freedom of religion
- Cultural and educational rights
- Right to equality
- Hindu Code Bill
- Constituent Assembly Debates
- Constitution of India
- Adoption of the Constitution 1949
- Calligraphed Constitution