Lord Mountbatten, who was the last viceroy of India, announced a plan called the Indian Independence Act 1947 on June 3rd, 1947. He was appointed to make a start into how the British Prime Minister at the time, Clement Atlee, wanted the transfer of power to happen. This act mentioned the parliament of the United Kingdom dissected British India into India and Pakistan. The act received royal assent on July 18th, 1947 and Pakistan (which included today’s Bangladesh) and India (that included today’s India) began on the 15th August 1947. The leaders of the Indian national congress, Sikh community and the Muslim League agreed with Lord Mountbatten on his plans that they all agreed on the 3 June plan.
3 JUNE PLAN BY LORD MOUNTBATTEN-
The Mountbatten Plan is another name of 3 June Plan. The plan was disclosed on June 3rd 1947. The guidelines of the 3 June Plan were:
- It was accepted by the government of Britain regarding the partition of India.
- The governments to be formed would be dominion status.
- Both countries would have sovereignty and autnomy.
- Both countries had the right to create their constitutions.
- The princely states were given the option of choosing the alliance with either India or Pakistan based on the geographical position and the will of the people.
PROVISIONS OF THE INDIAN INDEPENDENCE ACT 1947
The main provisions of the 1947 Indian Independence Act are –
- The partition of India into the dominion of India and the dominion of Pakistan.
- The division of Punjab and Bengal between the two new states of India and Pakistan.
- The appointment of a governor-general for both India and Pakistan, who would represent the Crown.
- All legislative power will be assigned to the constituent assemblies of India and Pakistan.
- The removal of the British control over the princely states, which will have the option to join either India and Pakistan.
- The title “emperor of India” was abolished and was not to be used by the British sovereign.
- There were also provisions for the partition of the joint property, etc, including the division of armed forces between the two new countries, India and Pakistan.
FEATURES OF THE INDIAN INDEPENDENCE ACT 1947-
1. Two newly formed dominion states were to take birth from the territory of India known as Pakistan and India.
2. August 15 1947 was devised as the day the partition was to come into operation.
3. The territories comprising Pakistan consisted of East Bengal, Sindh, West Punjab, and the province of Balochistan.
4. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the district of Sylhet were to have their fate by the outcome of the vote.
5. The sovereignty of Bengal and Punjab as per the Indian government act of 1935 ceased to exist.
6. West Punjab and East Punjab were established.
7. The boundaries of the new dominions were to be determined by a boundary commission to be appointed by the governor-general.
8. Constitutions for India and Pakistan were to be made and until then, India and Pakistan were to be governed by the government of India act 1935.
9. Civil servants were to be appointed on or before August 15 1947.
CONCLUSION- Lord Mountbatten was the last viceroy of India. He made a plan known as the Indian Independence Act 1947 on June 3, 1947. This is a British Act of Parliament that partitioned British India into two newly independent countries: India and Pakistan. The act was given assent by the King on July 18 1947, thus partitioning India and Pakistan. At this time Pakistan was partitioned into two parts i.e. the western territory now known as Pakistan and the eastern part now known as Bangladesh.
On July 18, 1947, the Act was signed by the King, dividing India and Pakistan. At the time, Pakistan was separated into two parts: the western territory, which is now Pakistan, and the eastern section, which is now Bangladesh.
