Concepts

Nehru Report, 1928

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At a glance
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Definition

The first major Indian attempt to draft a constitution for India, prepared by an all-parties committee headed by Motilal Nehru in 1928 as a response to the British challenge to produce an agreed constitutional scheme.

Key points

  • Drafted by a committee appointed by the All Parties Conference, chaired by Motilal Nehru, with Jawaharlal Nehru as secretary; it answered Lord Birkenhead's taunt that Indians could not agree on a constitution.
  • Recommended Dominion Status (not complete independence) as the form of government, which the younger leaders (Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose) opposed.
  • Rejected separate electorates in favour of joint electorates with reservation of seats for minorities in certain cases.
  • Included a list of fundamental rights, recommended a federal structure, responsible government, and linguistic provinces, ideas that later influenced the Constitution.
  • Was rejected by sections of the Muslim League; M.A. Jinnah responded with his "Fourteen Points" in 1929, deepening the communal divide.

Why it matters for CAPF

It is the first Indian-drafted constitutional scheme, the Dominion Status versus independence debate, and the fundamental-rights and joint-electorate proposals, all exam-relevant.

Common confusion

The Nehru Report (1928) was drafted by Motilal Nehru, not Jawaharlal; and it proposed Dominion Status, which Jawaharlal Nehru and Bose opposed in favour of full independence.

One-line recall

1928 Nehru Report: first Indian-drafted constitution; Dominion Status, joint electorates, fundamental rights; prompted Jinnah's Fourteen Points.

Parent note

towards independence acts and partition

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