Answer the following in two or three sentences each.

(a) Which were the important provisions of the Wavell plan?

(b) What were main provisions of the Cabinet Mission plan?

(c) State the provisions of the Indian Independence Act 1947.

(a) The Wavell plan was adopted in the year 1945. The main provisions of the plan were the following:

1. Proper representation to the minorities, which included the Muslims and, the Dalits in the Provincial and the Central legislature.

2. Equal representation of the Hindus and the Muslims in the Viceroy’s Executive Council

The proposed plan however failed because of Jinnah’s demand. He harped on the fact that it would only be the Muslim members that would have the right to suggest the name of Muslim representatives to the Viceroy’s Executive Council. This gave a communal tinge to the whole proposal.

(b) The Cabinet Mission Plan was put forward by three English members on behalf of the British government, which included Sir Pethick Lawrence, Stafford Cripps and A.V Alexander. The main provisions of the plan were:

1. It proposed to establish a federation comprising of the British India and the princely states.

2. It laid down that until the drafting of the new constitution, India will be governed by an interim government in consultations with the viceroy.

The plan however had no provisions for an independent Muslim state along with some provisions not being acceptable to the congress which led to it is partial acceptance.

(c) The British government passed the Indian independence act based on the Mountbatten Plan on 18th July 1947. The main provisions of the act were:

1. It provided for the partition of the country into India and Pakistan

2. The British parliament would cease to have any control over the Indian subjects.

3. The British sovereignty over the princely states would come to an end and they were free to join either of the two states or remain independent