The Indian Constituent Assembly was convened on 9th December 1946 in the backdrop of suspicion and uncertainty due to several factors including partition. Witnessing an optimistic Jawaharlal Nehru aspiring to strongly signal a constitution-making project aimed at achieving unity and freedom through the Objectives Resolution (precursor to the Preamble) that was drafted and presented to the Constituent Assembly on 13th December 1946.
Introducing the draft of the Objectives Resolution which laid down the fundamental principles of the constitution-making process in the Constituent Assembly he said:
“The Resolution states that it is our firm and solemn resolve to have a sovereign Indian republic. We have not mentioned the word 'republic' till this time; but you will well understand that a free India can be nothing but a republic.”
Defending the term ‘Republic’ in the Resolution, Nehru commented that if India were to aspire to be an independent and sovereign nation, it would inevitably have to be a ‘Republic’. No possibility of any external monarchy or local monarchies could exist.
Mr Shri Krishna Sinha supporting Nehru argued for a decentralised Republic wherein the sovereignty of the nation was with the people.
Here it would be worth noting that a republic represents a form of government in which the supreme power was held by the people and their elected representatives. The primary positions of power within a republic were to be attained through democracy.
Nehru in his 1946 address to the Constituent Assembly was also intuitive enough to pre-emptively pacify the concern of Princely States being displeased with ‘Republic’ in the Resolution and noted:
“But I want to make it clear personally and the House knows that I do not believe in the monarchical system anywhere, and that in the world today monarchy is a fast disappearing institution.”
Conversely, an assurance was also tendered by Nehru to the Assembly that nothing would be imposed against the will of the Princely States and the people in those states would decide the form of administration that would govern them.
Expectedly, several members in the Constituent Assembly were against the inclusion of ‘Republic’ in the Resolution. Dr Jayakar argued for postponing sessions until such time the Muslim League and the Princely States joined the Constituent Assembly while proposing his amendment to the Objective Resolution. Jayakar noted that the decision of India becoming a ‘Republic’ inherently concerned the Muslim League and the Princely States alike.
Frank Anthony argued that on one hand, Nehru claimed that the inclusion of the word ‘Republic’ would indicate a form of governance which was the opposite of a monarchy but on the other hand he advocated for the people in Princely states to choose any form of government including a monarchical head.
Dr Ambedkar too expressed displeasure with Nehru’s draft arguing that it had failed to mandate a socialistic economy which was indispensable to the realisation of social, economic and political justice. Ambedkar, in fact, voiced his support for postponing the Assembly’s sessions.
However, better sense prevailed amongst the members with Jayakar withdrawing his amendment and the Objectives Resolution being passed on 22nd January 1947 with ‘Republic’ being a part of it.
