Conceptualizing Freedom: M.N. Roy’s Revolutionary Blueprint for India’s Constituent Assembly

 

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M.N. Roy first proposed the idea of convening a Constituent Assembly in 1928, amid

opposition to the Simon Commission. He argued that Indians must independently frame their

Constitution, rejecting any Assembly under British control as lacking true sovereignty. Roy

envisioned the Constituent Assembly as a revolutionary and democratic body arising from mass

struggle, not a mere legal formality. Over time, he developed this vision through speeches and

writings. He also advocated for including Fundamental Rights, as seen in the 1931 Karachi

Resolution. For Roy, constitution-making was a transformative act of collective political will,

rooted in the people’s active participation. He also authored the draft Indian Constitution in

1944, which was circulated by the Radical Democratic Party.

This work argues that Roy’s conception of the Constituent Assembly differed from his

contemporaries and extended far beyond the procedural mechanics of constitution-making. For

Roy, constituting the Constituent Assembly was a radical, democratic, and revolutionary

project rooted in the active participation of informed, conscientious citizens addressing the

immediate concerns of the masses.

If applied today, Roy’s vision could serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of

participatory democracy. It underscores the need for civic engagement, transparency, and

public accountability in constitutional governance—especially in times when democratic

institutions are under stress. His ideas remain relevant as they challenge us to envision

constitution-making not as a bureaucratic task but as a continuous, inclusive, democratic,

people-driven process.

In his address at Faizpur, Roy elaborated on his idea of the Constituent Assembly stating,

“A Constituent Assembly means nothing less than a challenge to the self-assumed

prerogative of the British Government to dictate the political right of Indian people…

For us the Constituent Assembly is not only an agitation and propaganda slogan but

also a slogan for practical politics. When we raise the slogan, we raise the issue of

capture of power.”

MN Roy

"The idea of the Constituent Assembly means the determination of the Indian people to create an

organ of power for asserting their right to self-determination."