[1] During the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies, Kartawinata enlisted in the Pembela Tanah Air (PETA) military unit, and he became a daidancho (battalion commander) there.

[1][7] Later, in 1947, he and Wondoamiseno [id] proposed to Amir Sjarifuddin that they would reform the Indonesian Islamic Union Party (PSII) in exchange for cabinet seats.

[8] Following the Dutch recognition of Indonesian independence, Kartawinata joined the People's Representative Council of the United States of Indonesia and was elected deputy speaker on 22 February 1950.

[14] In the Dwikora Cabinet, constituted in October 1965, Kartawinata served as Chairman of the "Gotong-Rojong" Parliament (DPRGR) following the death of its previous chair Zainul Arifin on 2 March 1963.

Afterwards, he served two years as a regular member of parliament until he was appointed to the Dewan Pertimbangan Agung (Supreme Advisory Council) in February 1968, a position he held until his death.