DOMINION STATUS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25207, 11 June 1947, Page 7

DOMINION STATUS

SHORT BILL BEING DRAFTED (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, June 9. “A short bill of about 20 clauses is now being drafted to establish the new Dominions of Hindustan and Pakistan, and the other Dominions are being consulted about the necessary alteration in the Royal Title,” says the Parliamentary correspondent of ‘‘The Times.” “The Statute of Westminster recognises that the assent of all the Dominion Parliaments must be obtained when any change is proposed in the Royal style of titles, and in this case it will be necessary to alter the title of King Emperor. "On the assumption that there will soon be a separate constitutent assembly for Pakistan, it is proposed that complete legislative powers should be vested in the two constituent assemblies until power is passed to the new legislatures of the two Dominions. Thus, each constitutent assembly will be able to set up a government without delay, and these two governments will be able to accept the transfer of power. "Once the act comes into force. Parliament will cease to have any authority in Indian affairs, and the paramountcy of the Crown will lapse in regard to the Indian States.”