Union Constitution Committee
Topic: Making of the Constitution: Constituent Assembly, Sources and Salient Features · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
This was a Constituent Assembly committee chaired by Jawaharlal Nehru. It designed the structure of the Union (central) government, mainly the office of the President and Parliament. It chose the British-style parliamentary system, in which ministers are answerable to the legislature, together with an elected President.
Example
Under the Constitution, the President is elected and Parliament has two houses, with ministers drawn from and answerable to Parliament. This basic design comes from the Union Constitution Committee's work.
Don't confuse with
- Union Powers Committee: also chaired by Nehru, but it decided what subjects the Union would control. The Union Constitution Committee decided how the Union government would be built.
- Provincial Constitution Committee: chaired by Patel, it designed government in the provinces.
Related concepts
- Drafting Committee
- Union Powers Committee
- States Committee
- Provincial Constitution Committee
- Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, Minorities and Tribal and Excluded Areas
- Fundamental Rights Sub-committee
- Steering Committee