Explain the function of constituent assembly

A constituent assembly or constitutional assembly is a body or assembly of popularly elected representatives which is assembled for the purpose of drafting or adopting a constitution or similar document. The constituent assembly is entirely elected by popular vote [1]; that is, all constituent assemblies are constitutional conventions, but a constitutional convention is not necessarily a constituent assembly. As the fundamental document constituting a state, a constitution cannot normally be modified or amended by the state's normal legislative procedures[2]; instead a constitutional convention or a constituent assembly, the rules for which are normally laid down in the constitution, must be set up. A constituent assembly is usually set up for its specific purpose, which it carries out in a relatively short time, after which the assembly is dissolved. A constituent assembly is a form of representative democracy. Unlike forms of constitution-making in which a constitution is unilaterally imposed by a sovereign lawmaker, the constituent assembly creates a constitution through "internally imposed" actions, in that members of the constituent assembly are themselves citizens, but not necessarily the rulers, of the country for which they are creating a constitution.[3] As described by Columbia University Social Sciences Professor Jon Elster: Constitutions arise in a number of different ways. At the non-democratic extreme of the spectrum, we may imagine a sovereign lawgiver laying down the constitution for all later generations. At the democratic extreme, we may imagine a constituent assembly elected by universal suffrage for the sole task of writing a new constitution. And there are all sorts of intermediate arrangements.[4]

The Constituent Assembly had set itself for the task of preparing a constitution of free India. Itstarted meeting on 9 December, 1946 the Drafting Committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. B. R.Ambedkar, completed its work on 26 November,1949. The Constitution of India came into forceon 26 January, 1950. When India became a Republic. Every year we celebrate 15 August as the Independence Day and 26 January as the Republic Day.
The task of Assembly was outlined by Pt.Jawaharlal Nehru in his speech moving the objectives resolution in on 13 December, 1946. In the resolution proposed, the Assembly expressed its firm and solemn resolve to pro-claim India as an Independent Sovereign Republic comprising British India, Indian Princely States and other territories willing to be constituted into the Independent Sovereign India. The Assembly declared that justice : social, economic and political, equality of status, of opportunity, and before the law; freedom of expression, thought,believe, faith, worship, vocations association and action shall be guaranteed and secured to all the people of India.