Who drafted the Constitution of Muslim League, 'The Green Book'?

1. Foundation of the All-India Muslim League (1906) (basic)

To understand the birth of the All-India Muslim League (AIML), we must first look at the political climate of 1906. Following the 1905 Partition of Bengal, the British colonial administration actively encouraged a separate political identity for Muslims to act as a counterweight to the growing influence of the Indian National Congress. This policy, often termed 'Divide and Rule', found resonance among a section of the Muslim landed aristocracy and elite intelligentsia who feared that a representative government based on simple majorities would leave their community politically marginalized.

The immediate precursor to the League was the Simla Deputation on October 1, 1906. Led by the Aga Khan, a group of 35 prominent Muslims met Viceroy Lord Minto. They presented a memorandum demanding separate electorates and representation in government services and the Viceroy’s Council that was "in excess of their numerical strength," arguing that their community's historical and military contribution to the Empire deserved special status Rajiv Ahir, Spectrum, Era of Militant Nationalism (1905-1909), p.276. Lord Minto’s sympathetic response provided the official encouragement needed to formalize a permanent political organization.

The All-India Muslim League was officially founded on December 30, 1906, in Dacca (now Dhaka), during the annual meeting of the All India Muhammadan Educational Conference. The movement was spearheaded by Nawab Salimullah of Dacca, along with Nawab Mohsin-ul-Mulk and Nawab Waqar-ul-Mulk History, Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed., Communalism in Nationalist Politics, p.75. The League’s primary early objectives were to promote loyalty to the British government and to protect the political rights of Muslims, effectively steering the community’s youth away from the revolutionary and nationalist activities of the Congress.

While the League was established in 1906, it required a formal legal structure to operate. This came in the form of a written constitution known as 'The Green Book'. It was drafted by Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar and was formally presented and ratified during the League's first annual session held in Karachi in 1907. This document laid the organizational groundwork for what would eventually become the primary vehicle for the demand for a separate state in later decades.

Sources: History, Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed., Communalism in Nationalist Politics, p.75, 79, 82; Rajiv Ahir, Spectrum, Era of Militant Nationalism (1905-1909), p.276

2. Early Objectives and the Morley-Minto Reforms (basic)

After the formation of the All-India Muslim League (AIML) in Dacca in December 1906, the organization needed a formal structure and a set of guiding principles. This led to the drafting of its first written constitution, popularly known as 'The Green Book'. This foundational document was drafted by Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar and presented as a brochure at the League's first annual meeting in Karachi in 1907. At its inception, the League was primarily an elitist organization of urbanized Muslims with two main objectives: to promote loyalty to the British Government and to protect the political rights of Indian Muslims by representing their needs directly to the crown History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 6, p.76.

The British government encouraged this development as a way to counter the growing influence of the nationalist movement. While the Congress claimed to represent all Indians regardless of religion, the British preferred to deal with the League as the sole representative of the Muslim community Modern India (Old NCERT), Nationalist Movement 1905—1918, p.254. This support culminated in the Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909 (also known as the Indian Councils Act 1909). These reforms were a turning point because they introduced the concept of Separate Electorates (or Communal Electorates). This meant that in certain constituencies, only Muslims could vote for Muslim candidates, effectively giving the community a separate constitutional identity History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 6, p.76.

The 1909 reforms specifically reserved 8 seats for Muslims in the Imperial Legislative Council and allocated reserved seats in provincial councils, such as 5 in Bengal and 4 each in Madras and Bombay History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 6, p.80. While the League saw this as a victory for Muslim interests, many nationalist leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi, later viewed it as a 'Divide and Rule' tactic intended to weaken the unified national movement by institutionalizing religious divisions History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Advent of Gandhi, p.56.

Sources: History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Communalism in Nationalist Politics, p.76, 79, 80; History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Advent of Gandhi and Mass Mobilisation, p.56; Modern India (Old NCERT), Nationalist Movement 1905—1918, p.254

3. The Lucknow Pact and Hindu-Muslim Accord (intermediate)

The Lucknow Pact of 1916 represents one of the most significant milestones in the Indian freedom struggle, marking a rare moment of total convergence between the Indian National Congress and the All-India Muslim League. To understand its importance, we must look at the climate of 1916: the British were preoccupied with World War I, and Indian nationalists felt the time was ripe to demand major constitutional reforms. At the same time, the Muslim League was shifting away from its initial loyalist stance toward the British, partly due to the annulment of the Partition of Bengal and Britain's role in the Balkan wars against the Ottoman Empire.

The pact was negotiated during the simultaneous annual sessions of both parties in Lucknow. The chief architect of this accord was Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who was then a member of both the Congress and the League. His efforts to bridge the gap between the two organizations led the poet Sarojini Naidu to famously hail him as the "Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim Unity" History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Impact of World War I on Indian Freedom Movement, p.36. This session was also historic because it saw the reunion of the Moderates and the Extremists within the Congress, who had been split since the 1907 Surat session Modern India, Bipin Chandra, Nationalist Movement 1905—1918, p.259.

The core of the agreement involved a series of Joint Demands presented to the British government:

• Self-Government: A demand for the British to declare their intent to confer self-government on India at an early date.
• Separate Electorates: In a controversial but pragmatic move, the Congress officially accepted the system of separate electorates for Muslims, which had been introduced by the Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909 History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Communalism in Nationalist Politics, p.76.
• Weightage: The pact agreed on a fixed proportion of seats for Muslims in the various provincial and imperial legislatures (e.g., one-third of the elected members in the Central Legislative Council).
• Dominion Status: The demand that India's relationship with the British Crown should be similar to that of self-governing colonies like Canada or Australia History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Impact of World War I on Indian Freedom Movement, p.36.

While the Lucknow Pact successfully created a united nationalist front that pressured the British into making the 1917 August Declaration (promising gradual development of self-governing institutions), it had a complex legacy. By putting an "official seal" on separate political identities based on religion, it inadvertently institutionalized communalism in Indian politics, even as it achieved immediate unity History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Communalism in Nationalist Politics, p.76.

Sources: History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Impact of World War I on Indian Freedom Movement, p.36; Modern India, Bipin Chandra, Nationalist Movement 1905—1918, p.259; History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Communalism in Nationalist Politics, p.76

4. Khilafat Movement and the Ali Brothers (intermediate)

The Khilafat Movement (1919–1924) was a significant pan-Islamic and anti-imperialist agitation in India that arose following the end of World War I. The core of the movement lay in the treatment of the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) by the British. The Sultan of Turkey was regarded as the Khalifa (Caliph)—the spiritual and temporal leader of the global Muslim community. Following Turkey’s defeat, the British proposed to dismember the Ottoman Empire and strip the Khalifa of his powers. This was viewed by Indian Muslims as a direct blow to Islam and its sacred sites History, Class XII (TN State Board), Impact of World War I on Indian Freedom Movement, p.37. In early 1919, the All-India Khilafat Committee was formed to pressure the British government to restore the Khalifa’s prestige and territorial integrity Rajiv Ahir, Spectrum, Non-Cooperation Movement and Khilafat Aandolan, p.330.

The movement was spearheaded by the Ali Brothers—Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar and Maulana Shaukat Ali—alongside other prominent leaders like Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Hakim Ajmal Khan, and Hasrat Mohani. Interestingly, Muhammad Ali Jauhar was not only a firebrand leader of this movement but also a foundational architect of the All-India Muslim League, having drafted its first constitution known as 'The Green Book' in 1907. Under their leadership, the movement transitioned from a religious grievance into a mass political struggle by aligning with Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress. This alliance birthed the joint Non-Cooperation-Khilafat Movement, which utilized non-violent methods to demand Swaraj and the redressal of the Khilafat wrongs Rajiv Ahir, Spectrum, Non-Cooperation Movement and Khilafat Aandolan, p.328.

The movement's impact was twofold. On one hand, it achieved unprecedented Hindu-Muslim unity and brought urban Muslims into the national fold, expanding the base of the freedom struggle. On the other hand, some historians argue that by mobilizing people on religious grounds, it inadvertently introduced communal consciousness into secular nationalist politics Rajiv Ahir, Spectrum, Non-Cooperation Movement and Khilafat Aandolan, p.338. The primary demands of the movement are summarized below:

Key Demand	Description
Sacred Places	The Khalifa must retain control over Muslim sacred places (Jazirat-ul-Arab).
Territorial Integrity	The Khalifa should be left with sufficient territory to enable him to defend the Islamic faith.
Anti-Imperialism	Protest against British colonial policy and the Treaty of Sèvres.

Sources: History, Class XII (Tamil Nadu State Board 2024 ed.), Impact of World War I on Indian Freedom Movement, p.37; Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India (Spectrum 2019 ed.), Non-Cooperation Movement and Khilafat Aandolan, p.330; Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India (Spectrum 2019 ed.), Non-Cooperation Movement and Khilafat Aandolan, p.328; Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India (Spectrum 2019 ed.), Non-Cooperation Movement and Khilafat Aandolan, p.338

5. Ideological Shifts: Iqbal and Rahmat Ali (exam-level)

To understand the evolution of the Muslim League, we must look at the profound ideological shift that occurred between its founding in 1906 and the eventual demand for a separate nation. While the early League focused on constitutional safeguards and separate electorates, the 1930s marked a transition toward territorial separatism led by two key figures: Sir Muhammad Iqbal and Choudhary Rahmat Ali. At the League's 1930 annual conference in Allahabad, the poet-philosopher Muhammad Iqbal provided the intellectual justification for a separate identity. He argued that for Indian Muslims to develop according to their own culture and traditions, a 'consolidated North-west Indian Muslim State' was necessary History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 6, p.79. Interestingly, at this stage, Iqbal viewed this within the framework of a free India, suggesting that if these homelands were recognized, Muslims would 'stake his all for the freedom of India' NCERT Class X, Nationalism in India, p.45. While Iqbal provided the philosophy, the specific name and a more radical vision came from Choudhary Rahmat Ali, a student at Cambridge. In the early 1930s, he articulated the demand for a separate nation much more forcefully than the League's top leadership. In fact, at that time, senior leaders like Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Nawab Zafrullah Khan dismissed the idea of a separate state as 'impracticable' History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 6, p.79. It was only after years of political deadlock that this fringe 'student idea' moved to the center of the League’s official platform.

Sources: History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 6: Communalism in Nationalist Politics, p.79; NCERT Class X, History (Revised ed 2025), Nationalism in India, p.45

6. The Green Book: Drafting the League's Constitution (exam-level)

The All-India Muslim League was born in December 1906 in Dacca, but for any organization to transition from a meeting to a movement, it requires a formal structure. To provide this legal and organizational framework, a constitution was drafted. This foundational document is famously known as 'The Green Book'. It was not merely a list of rules but a comprehensive brochure that defined the League's hierarchy, its political principles, and its objectives within the context of colonial India History (Tamil Nadu State Board), Chapter 6, p.79.

The primary architect behind this critical draft was Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar (often spelled Johar). While many students primarily recognize Jauhar for his later leadership in the Khilafat Movement alongside his brother Shaukat Ali Spectrum, Non-Cooperation Movement and Khilafat Aandolan, p.330, his role as the League's first constitutional drafter was pivotal. He prepared the draft which was subsequently presented at the League’s first annual meeting held in Karachi in December 1907. This document served as the 'operating manual' for the party, ensuring its activities were grounded in a defined legal status from its inception.

For the UPSC, it is vital to distinguish between the foundational documents of the League and the later ideological shifts. While figures like Sir Muhammad Iqbal and Choudhary Rahmat Ali later conceptualized the idea of a separate state, the legal birth of the League as an organized body rests on the 'Green Book' and Jauhar's drafting. The constitution was designed to be a living document, later ratified and revised to adapt to the rapidly evolving political climate of the 20th century.

Sources: History (Tamil Nadu State Board 2024 ed.), 6. Communalism in Nationalist Politics, p.79; Spectrum (Rajiv Ahir), Non-Cooperation Movement and Khilafat Aandolan, p.330

7. Solving the Original PYQ (exam-level)

Now that you have mastered the timeline of the All-India Muslim League’s formation in 1906, this question tests your ability to identify the administrative formalization of the party. While the League was founded in Dacca (now Dhaka) to protect Muslim interests, its legal identity required a structured framework to define its principles. This foundational document was titled 'The Green Book'. By connecting your knowledge of the League's early years to the specific drafting process, you can see how the party evolved from a meeting of elites into a structured political organization during the Karachi Session of 1907.

To arrive at the correct answer, you must use the process of elimination against the UPSC’s favorite "chronology traps." Choudhary Rahmat Ali is a common distractor because he coined the name 'Pakistan' in 1933, much later than the League's founding. Similarly, Muhammad Iqbal is known for the 1930 Allahabad Address, providing the ideological basis for a separate state rather than the administrative constitution. Even Muhammad Ali Jinnah, though the most prominent leader later on, did not join the League until 1913. Therefore, the architect of the 1907 constitution was Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar, the activist and journalist who played a pivotal role in the League's infancy as documented in History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.).