(a) Directly elected by the people of those provinces
(b) Nominated by the Indian National Congress and the Muslim league
(c) Elected by Provincial Legislative Assemblies
(d) Selected by the Government for their expertise in constitutional matters.
Answer: (c)
The Cabinet Mission Plan, which set up the Constituent Assembly of India, discarded full adult franchise for elections to the Constituent Assembly and instead suggested indirect elections by members of the recently elected Provincial Legislative Assemblies.
Option (c) is correct: A Constituent Assembly was to be elected by provincial assemblies by proportional representation (voting in three groups—General, Muslims, Sikhs). This Constituent Assembly would be a 389-member body with Provincial Assemblies sending 292, Chief Commissioner’s provinces sending 4, and princely states sending 93 members. The seats given to a province were decided among three communities on the basis of their number, the three communities being the Muslims, Sikhs and General including Hindus and all others who were not Muslims and Sikhs.
