With reference to Indian History, the Members of the Constituent Assembly from the Provinces were
Smart Elimination
Remember that the Constituent Assembly was formed using BOTH election (from provinces - by Provincial Legislative Assemblies) & nomination (from princely states).
But:
NOT nominated by Congress or Muslim League
NOT selected by the Government for expertise
NOT directly elected by the people.
Option A suggests members were ""directly elected"". Organizing a direct election across India in 1946 (before independence/partition infrastructure) was logistically impossible. They had to be indirectly elected.
Potential Trap
Thinking they were directly elected (democratic assumption) or nominated by parties.
Answer Key & Explanation
Answer: CThe correct answer is Option C.
Explanation:
- The Constituent Assembly was constituted under the scheme formulated by the Cabinet Mission Plan (1946), which did not permit a direct popular election. As, India at that point of time had: very low adult franchise, no machinery for a nationwide direct election and communal & reserved seats system inherited from 1935 Act.
- Thus the members were not directly elected by the people of India on the basis of adult franchise. Instead, they were indirectly elected by the members of the Provincial Legislative Assemblies.
- (Representatives of Princely States were nominated by the heads of those states).
Value Addition
- Method: Proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.
- Composition: Seats were allocated based on population (roughly 1 seat per million).
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Foundational question based on core concepts.