Draft Constitution—Discussion
MOTION re DRAFT CONSTITUTION
Mr. President : I think we shall now proceed with the discussion. I call upon the Honourable Dr. Ambedkar to move his motion.
*The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (Bombay : General) : Mr. President, Sir, I introduce the Draft Constitution as settled by the Drafting Committee and move that it be taken into consideration.
The Drafting Committee was appointed by a Resolution passed by the Constituent Assembly on August 29, 1947.
The Drafting Committee was in effect charged with the duty of preparing a Constitution in accordance with the decisions of the Constituent Assembly on the reports made by the various Committees appointed by it such as the Union Powers Committee, the Union Constitution Committee, the Provincial Constitution Committee and the Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, Minorities, Tribal Areas, etc. The Constituent Assembly had also directed that in certain matters the provisions contained in the Government of India Act, 1935, should be followed. Except on points which are referred to in my letter of the 21st February
1948 in which I have referred to the departures made and alternatives suggested by the Drafting Committee, I hope the Drafting Committee will be found to have faithfully carried out the directions given to it.
The Draft Constitution as it has emerged from the Drafting Committee is a formidable document. It contains 315 Articles and 8 Schedules. It must be admitted that the Constitution of no country could be found to be so bulky as the Draft Constitution. It would be difficult for those who have not been through it to realize its salient and special features.
The Draft Constitution has been before the public for eight months. During this long time friends, critics and adversaries have had more
*Constituent Assembly Debates, (Hereinafter called CAD.) Official Report, Vol. VII, 4th November 1948, pp. 31-44.