ReadThe Constitution of India
Back
THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA
395 Articles, organised into 25 Parts and 12 Schedules, make up the Constitution of India

PARTS
Each Part collates Articles on specific themes. E.g. Fundamental Rights in Part III.

SCHEDULES
Each Schedule contains provisions necessary to apply related Articles.

Original Manuscript

Regional Translations
HISTORICAL CONSTITUTIONS
The Constitution of India 1950 was preceded by British authored framework legislation to govern India, and proto-constitutional drafts by several Indian individuals and groups. These Historical Constitutions are archived here.

CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY DEBATES
The Constitution of India 1950 was drafted by a Constituent Assembly. 167 days of plenary assembly debates from 9 December 1946 to 24 January 1950 are archived here.

Browse digitised, edited and paragraph-numbered versions of critical primary materials related to the Indian Constitution and its origins.

COMMITTEE REPORTS
Documents prepared by smaller groups of Constituent Assembly members which conducted preliminary research and advanced recommendations on specific constitutional topics.
ExploreConstitution-Making
Back
Travel through the various stage of the constitution-making process, discover the contributions of diverse institutions, and learn more about the framers of the Constitution through their biographies.

THE CONSTITUTION FRAMERS
Learn about the members of the Constituent Assembly, the role they played in India’s freedom movement and their contributions to constitution-making.

STAGES OF CONSTITUTION-MAKING
A stage-by-stage overview of the drafting of the Constitution of India 1950. Begin with our popular video on the making of the Indian Constitution.
INSTITUTIONS
The Constitution of India 1950 was drafted by the collective work of the following institutions:

CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY
A 389-member body responsible for drafting India’s Constitution.

COMMITTEES
Committees were created by the Constituent Assembly comprising smaller groups of members delegated with various responsibilities.

CONGRESS ASSEMBLY PARTY
An unofficial forum consisting of Assembly members belonging to the Indian National Congress that met on the side-lines of the Assembly.
LearnDigital Classroom
EngageWritings & Media
Back

Engage

Discover a wide range of writings and original multimedia content, in the form of blogs, podcasts and videos, that offer valuable insights into the history of India's Constitution, highlighting its relevance to current events both in India and worldwide. We rely on our extensive database of primary materials to produce this content.

Museum
Explore India’s rich constitutional and political history through a diverse collection of archival images, audio and video.

1946 Assembly Debates
Audio

Blog
Articles that engage with important political, social and legal developments in India and the world through constitutional and political history.

Podcasts
Our writings and research brought to life through voice. Also features interviews with scholars and educators.

Videos
Workshops, talks, and educational videos exclusively produced by us on India’s constitutional origins.

Back

Home ≫ The Constitution Framers ≫ M. R. Jayakar

Constituent Assembly Members

M. R. Jayakar

1873 - 1959

Key Information

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Bombay

Religion: Hindu

Caste: Non SC/ST

Gender: Male

Mother Tongue:

Education: Graduate

Committee Memberships

None

Biography

Early Life:

Dr. Mukund Ramrao Jayakar was born in Bombay in 1873 and grew up to become a prominent lawyer. He was one of the key members of the Hindu Mahasabha and was its first President; he was also one of the non-Brahmin leaders of the Mahasabha.

He established the Hindu Law Research and Reform Association (HLRRA) in 1923. This organization aimed to build a network of legal practitioners and scholars to advance, reform and work on Hindu legal framework. One of the main objectives of HLRRA was to determine, under the English regime, the ‘principles underlying the system of Hindu Law…and propose legislation with a view to rectify errors in the administration of Hindu Law, arising from departure from the true spirit of the Hindu Code.‘

Jayakar became a member of the Swaraj Party and in 1934 was nominated as a Judge to the Federal Court and later became a Privy Councillor in 1939.

Contribution to Constitution Making:

Jayakar was a member of the Sapru Committee, a non-party affiliated group, which produced a report in 1945. The Sapru Committee Report laid down principles for a new constitution and demanded a constitution making body.

He was elected to the Constituent Assembly on a Congress ticket from Bombay. However after a brief stint in the Assembly, he gave up his seat which Ambedkar then occupied.

Key Writings:

Jayakar authored his autobiography ‘The Story of My Life‘.

Key Speeches

When Jawaharlal Nehru sought to move the Objectives Resolution, Dr. Jayakar through his amendment argued for postponing Assembly sessions until the Muslim League and the Princely States joined the Constituent Assembly. He noted that the decision of India becoming a ‘Republic’ was ‘intimately connected to Muslim League and the Princely States’.

Resources

The Story of My Life, M.R. Jayakar (1958)
M. R. Jayakar by V.B. Kulkarni