Question

All parties accepted the Mountbatten Plan of 3rd June, 1947. In this context briefly explain the basis of the partition.

Answer 1

(i) India and Pakistan were to be set-up from 15th August, 1947 as two independent dominions.
(ii) Pakistan was to comprise Sindh, British Baluchistan, North West Frontier Province, the West Punjab and East Bengal and the exact boundaries of these last two would be determined by a Boundary Commission set-up for this purpose only.
(iii) Each of the two dominions shall be under a Governor-General, who will be appointed by His Majesty. Each will act as the Head of his dominion, India or Pakistan, as the case may be, and each would represent His Majesty.
(iv) Each dominion shall have its own Legislature with complete powers to make laws for the dominion. No Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom, nor any order in Council passed after 15th August, 1947, shall have any validity in either of the two dominions.
(v) The Constituent Assembly of each dominion was to exercise the powers of the Central Legislature.
(vi) Both the Governor-General of India and Pakistan shall be vested with full powers and authority necessary for enforcing the Indian Independence Act, 1947.
(vii) The Secretary of State shall cease to have the power of appointing in future, any officer in the Civil Service.
(viii) Provision was made for smooth division of the Armed Forces between the two dominions which would henceforth exercise authority over them.