The proposal for framing of the Constitution of India by an elected Constituent Assembly was made by

Q – The proposal for framing of the Constitution of India by an elected Constituent Assembly was made by

(a) Simon Commission

(b) Government of India Act, 1935

(c) Cripps Mission

(d) British Cabinet Delegation

U.P.P.C.S. (Spl) (Mains) 2008

Ans. (c)

Explanation – The proposal for framing of the Constitution of India (after the end of Second World War) by an elected Constituent Assembly was made by the Cripps Mission (1942).

Demand For A constituent Assembly It was in 1934 that the idea of a Constituent Assembly for India was put forward for the first time by M.N. Roy. In 1935, the Indian National Congress (INC), for the first time, officially demanded a Constituent Assembly to frame the Constitution of India. In 1938, Jawaharlal Nehru, on behalf the INC declared that ‘the Constitution of free India must be framed, without outside interference, by a Constituent Assembly elected on the basis of adult franchise’. The demand was finally accepted in principle by the British Government in what is known as the ‘August Offer‘ of 1940. In 1942, Sir Stafford Cripps, a Member of the Cabinet, came to India with a draft proposal of the British Government on the framing of an independent Constitution to be adopted after the World War II. Finally, a Cabinet Mission’ was sent to India. It put forth a scheme for the Constituent Assembly.