Indian Independence Act 1947
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The Indian Independence Act 1947 was the legislation passed by the British Parliament that officially approved the independence of India and the partition of India.
The legislation was designed by the administration of Prime Minister Clement Attlee, after Indian political parties came to an agreement on the transfer of power and the Partition of India with Viceroy Lord Mountbatten according to what has come to be known as the 3 June Plan or Mountbatten Plan.
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[edit] Principal points
Passed in June 1947, the Act basically stipulated that:
- The British Raj of India shall be terminated on the midnight of August 15, 1947
- An independent dominion of India shall be created out of the United Provinces, Central Provinces, Bombay Presidency, Madras Presidency, the Carnatic, East Punjab, West Bengal, Assam and the Northeast Frontier Agency. The territories of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the Lakshadweep Islands are also turned over to the Indian Dominion.
- An independent dominion of Pakistan shall be created out of the provinces of West Punjab, East Bengal, Baluchistan and Sindh.
- That all Indian princely states shall be released from their official commitments and treaty relationships with the British Empire, and will be free to join either dominion.
- Both Dominions will be completely self-governing in their internal affairs, foreign affairs and national security, but the British monarch will continue to be their head of state, represented by the Governor-General of India and a new Governor-General of Pakistan. Both Dominions shall convene their Constituent Assemblies and write their respective constitutions.
- Both Dominions will be members of the British Commonwealth, but free to leave whenever they please.
- The British monarch shall be permitted to remove the title of Emperor of India from the Royal Style and Titles. King George VI subsequently removed the title by Order in council on June 22, 1948.
[edit] Enactment
[edit] India
Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last Viceroy was retained as the Governor-General of India. Jawaharlal Nehru became the Prime Minister of India,Dr.Rajendra Praasad became the president and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel became the Deputy Prime Minister of India. Over 560 princely states acceded to India, with the states of Junagadh and Hyderabad joining after political and military conflict.
[edit] Pakistan
Muhammad Ali Jinnah became the Governor-General of Pakistan, and Liaquat Ali Khan became the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Three princely states geographically inalienable to Pakistan joined the Dominion. Kashmir was disputed
[edit] 1947 Kashmir War
Main Article: Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
India and Pakistan were engaged a military conflict over the Himalayan kingdom of Kashmir. Both nations control significant territories of the disputed state, and the issue remains unresolved.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Information from the Indian Embassy in Washington, DC
- Patel: A Life by Rajmohan Gandhi
