1st BASIC PRINCIPAL COMMITTEE

 Headed by Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan, president of constituent assembly.

 Head of state could be a non-Muslim; angered religious faction
 Bengali was not given national status; Bengalis were angry
 Interim report indemnified Governor General, Prime minister and legislatures from
appearing in court.
 On this score, the indignation of ulema was justified, as the pious caliphs had readily
appeared before courts when summoned.
 Since the Interim report drew on the GOI Act 1935, it gave sweeping powers to the
head of state, who could assume control of provinces and in case of emergency,
could suspend the constitution in part or fully. This provision was circulated in
advance of any constitution being framed!
 Head of state to be indirectly elected by the legislature.
 The form of govt would be federal, as provided by GOI Act 1935.
 A federal form has more than one level of govt, one at level of federation-in the
centre-and the other governing the federating units or provinces.
 Legislature was to be bicameral, having two houses, the lower being directly elected
and the upper being indirectly elected.
 The upper house was to give equal representation to all the provnces. Thus, if east
Bengal had a majority in the lower house, it became minority in the upper house.
 Since the powers of both houses were equal, the majority of east Pakistan would be
neutralized in this manner.
