Question

What did the Indian Independence Act 1947 state about
(i) Bengal and Punjab?
(ii) North-West Frontier Province?

Answer 1

Hint: On August 15, 1947, India was partitioned, and two independent dominions, India and Pakistan, were formed. Both Dominions had legislative supremacy under the Independence Act. Sindh, British Baluchistan, the North-West Frontier Province, the West Punjab, and East Bengal would make up Pakistan. All of British India's remaining territories were to be integrated into India.

Complete answer:
On June 3, 1947, Lord Mountbatten presented his plan for India's partition. The Partition of India into India and Pakistan, ties between the two dominions, a Boundary Commission, Princely States of Bengal and Punjab, Sindh and the North-West Frontier Province, a Constituent Assembly, and power transfer are among the important features of the plan.

(i) Bengal and Punjab – Under the Government of India Act of 1935, the province of Punjab as it was constituted ceased to exist. Two new provinces, named West Punjab and East Punjab, were to be constituted.

The province of Bengal too ceased to exist. Two new provinces, known respectively as East Bengal and West Bengal, were instead to be constituted. The Act stated that the Provincial Assemblies of the two sections would convene separately to represent the Hindu majority districts and vote on whether or not the province should be divided.

(ii)North-West Frontier Province- Under the law the destiny of the Province of the North-West Frontier was a consequence of a referendum (now Pakhtunkhwa). A referendum was held on the Northwest Frontier Province in July 1947 to determine whether the Dominion of India or Pakistan would be integrated into the British India Province of Northwest Front (NWFP) following the division of India.

Note: The Indian Independence Act of 1947 specified that the Constituent Assemblies of both dominions would act as Central Legislatures with complete legislative authority over their respective Dominion. For legislative reasons, they would act as sovereign bodies. According to the Indian Independence Act of 1947, the Princely States would gain independence and the British authorities' rights would be revoked.