Important committees, commissions and cases in Indian Polity

Some Important Committees, Commissions and Cases for SSC and other government exams

• Drafting Committee (Chairman - Dr. B. R. Ambedkar)

Drafting Committee was set up on August 29, 1947. It consisted of seven members. They were: 

1. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
2. N. Gopalaswamy Ayyangar
3. Alladi Krishnaswamy Ayyar
4. Dr. K.M. Munshi
5. Syed Mohammad Saadullah
6. N. Madhav Rau (He replaced B. L. Mittal who resigned due to ill health)
7. T. T. Krishnamchari (He replaced D. P. Khaitan who died in 1948)

• Provincial Constitution Committee
- headed by Vallabhbhai Patel

• Union Powers Committee
- headed by Jawaharlal Nehru

• Union Constitution Committee
- headed by Jawaharlal Nehru

• States Committee
- headed by Jawaharlal Nehru

• Steering Committe
- headed by Rajendra Prasad

• Fundamental Rights Sub-Committee
- headed by J. B. Kripalani

• Minorities Committee
- headed by Sardar Patel

• PAC (Public Account Undertaking) Committee
Objective:- Check the report of CAG
Chairman:- Always from opposition party
Total Members = 22 (Loksabha - 15 & Rajya Sabha - 7)

• Estimate Committee (Largest member committee)
Objective:- Check policies of Government Of India
Total members = 30 (all from Loksabha)

• Committee for Public Undertaking
Objective:- Check financial report of PSV
Total members = 22 (Loksabha - 15 & Rajya sabha - 7)

Important Cases:-

• Union of India vs Naveen Jindal 2004
Case:- Whether the right to fly the National Flag by Indian citizen is a fundamental right within the meaning of Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution of India.
Bench:-  CJI V.N. Khare, Brijesh Kumar and S.B. Sinha

• Berubari vs Union of India 1960
Conclusion:- Preamble is not a part of the Constitution

• Keshvananda Bharti vs State of Kerala 1973, 13 Judges Bench
Conclusion:- Preamble is an integral part of the Constitution of India and is amendable and basic structure of the constitution cannot be changed.
CJI - S.M. Sikri

Important Commissions:-

• Mandal Commission 1978

- OBC (Other Backward Classes) reservation

- recommended 50% reservation but only 27% was approved in 1992

• Balwant G. Rai Mehta Commission 1957

- recommended 3 tier structure in Panchayat (Schedule XI Part IX Article 243 to 243(O))

• Ashok Mehta Commission 1977

- recommended 2 tier structure in Panchayat (Rejected)

• G.V.K. Rao Commission 1985 

- A post of District Development Officer must be created.

• L.M. Singhvi Comission 1986

- Democratic Panchayat