Hand-Over Before 1948

Northern Advocate, 4 June 1947, Page 5

Hand-Over Before 1948

Mr Attlee said that when this was done it would be possible to determine the authority to whom power should be transferred.

The Bengal and Punjab Legislative Assemblies (excluding European members) would,' therefore, be asked to meet in two parts, one representing Moslem-majority districts and the other the rest of each- province. Members of the tv/o parts of each Legislative Assembly, sitting separately, would be empowered to vote whether or not the province should be partitioned. If a, simple majority of either part decided in favour of partition, the division would take place and arrangements be made accordingly. As soon as the decision involving partition had been taken' for either province, the Viceroy would establish a boundary commission. The Sind Legislative Assembly (excluding European members) would, at a special meeting, also decide on the alternatives whether the Constitution was to be framed by the existing Constituent Assembly or by a new Assembly.

In view of the North-West Frontier Province’s geographical situation and other considerations, it would be necessary to give the province opportunity to reconsider its position if the whole or any part of the Punjab decided not to join the existing Constituent Assembly.

In such an event a referendum would be held to decide whether the province’s Constitution would be under that now existing, or under a new Constituent Assembly. British Baluchistan, in view of its geographical situation, would be given the choice of similar alternatives.

It Was decided that Bengal should be

partitioned and a referendum would be held in the Sylhet district to determine whether it would form part of Assam Province or be amalgamated with the new province of Bengal.

The rest of Assam would, in any case, continue to participate in the existing Constituent Assembly’s proceedings.

If it were decided that Bengal and the Punjab should be partitioned, it would be necessary to hold fresh elections in those provinces, also in Sylhet, if it were decided that this district should form part of East Bengal. Negotiations would have to be initiated as soon as possible. The administrative consequences of any partition agreements with the North-West Frontier tribes would have to be negotiated by the appropriate successor authority. Saying that the foregoing decisions related only to British India, Mr Attlee added that the Government's policy towards the Indian states contained in the Cabinet Mission’s plan remained unchanged. To avoid delay, the existing Constituent Assembly, and the new Assembly, if formed, would proceed to frame Constitutions for their respective territories.

The Government fully sympathised with the desire of the major political parties that there should be the earliest possible transfer of power, and was willing to hand over power to the Indian Government, or Governments, before the scheduled date—June, 1948. Therefore, the Government proposed to introduce legislation to transfer power this year, on a Dominion-status basis, to one or two successor authorities, according to the decisions taken as the result of the present plan.