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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.
Principal points
Passed in June 1947, the Act basically stipulated that:
- 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. However, Lord Mountbatten told the princely states that their accession was a necessity because he feared the idea of the princely states staying independent could lead to chaos.
- 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.
Enactment
India
Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last Viceroy, was retained as the Governor-General of India. Jawaharlal Nehru became the Prime Minister of India 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 annexed after military action.
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.
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.
See also
External links
cs:Zákon o nezávislosti Indie
de:Mountbattenplan
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