The Constituent Assembly of India was formed in 1946 with the monumental task of drafting a constitution for independent India. Its composition was largely based on the recommendations of the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946, which aimed to create a body representative of the diverse Indian population.

Initially, the total strength of the Constituent Assembly was fixed at 389 members. These seats were allocated in a specific manner:

1. British Indian Provinces: 292 members were to be allotted to the British Indian Provinces. These seats were further distributed among the provinces roughly in proportion to their respective populations, with one seat allocated for every million people. Within each province, seats were divided among the three principal communities – Muslims, Sikhs, and General (Hindus and all others) – again, in proportion to their population. The representatives from these provinces were to be indirectly elected by the members of the Provincial Legislative Assemblies. This election was conducted using the method of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote.

2. Princely States: 93 members were reserved for the Indian Princely States. The method of selection for these representatives was different; they were to be nominated by the heads of the respective princely states. This meant that the representatives from the princely states were not elected but rather appointed.

3. Chief Commissioner's Provinces: 4 members were allocated to the Chief Commissioner's Provinces (Delhi, Ajmer-Merwara, Coorg, and British Baluchistan), with each province contributing one representative.

The elections for the 292 seats allotted to the British Indian Provinces were held in July-August 1946. The Indian National Congress secured 208 seats, the Muslim League won 73 seats, and the remaining 15 seats were secured by smaller groups and independent members. The princely states, however, initially decided to stay away from the Assembly, and their seats remained vacant.

Following the Mountbatten Plan of June 3, 1947, which led to the partition of India, the composition of the Constituent Assembly underwent significant changes. The representatives of the Muslim League from the territories that became Pakistan withdrew from the Assembly. Consequently, the total strength of the Assembly was reduced to 299 members. Of these, 229 were from the British Indian Provinces (now Indian Provinces) and 70 were from the Princely States (many of whom had by then acceded to India).

The Constituent Assembly was a remarkably diverse body, representing various communities, regions, and political ideologies. It included prominent leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, and numerous other legal luminaries, academics, and social reformers, including 15 women members. This diverse composition ensured that the Constitution drafted reflected a wide range of perspectives and aspirations of the Indian people.