3rd June Plan 1947

Background:
With the conclusion of WW II, the British wanted to leave India as soon as possible.
They wanted to transfer powers to locals in a peaceful manner but the differences
between two major political parties, the Muslim League and Congress, made it
difficult. the British announced a plan on 3rd June 1947 to partition India into two
states. Today we know this announcement as the 3rd June Plan,1947.

Introduction:
The 3 June 1947 Plan was also known as the Mountbatten Plan. The British
government proposed a plan, announced on 3 June 1947.

Main Features:
i. Two States, India and Pakistan, would be created with the Dominion status on
15 August 1948.
ii. The interim constitution of both states would be the 1935 Government of India
Act.
iii. Each state would have Dominion status and an Executive answerable to a
Constituent Assembly.
iv. Muslim majority provinces would be asked whether they wanted to stay in
India or join Pakistan.
v. Princely states would have the right to either join India or Pakistan or remain
independent. 

Significance:
The third June plan, 1947 was an official and formal acceptance of the Partition of
the Indian subcontinent into two independent states of Pakistan and India. The
British and Congress had been trying to avoid the partition but now they had come to
the realization that the only solution of the Indian subcontinent was partition. 
Important Points of the Plan:
Important points of 3rd June plan are as given.

i. Competent Leadership:
C.P., U.P., Urrisa, Bombay, Madras and Bihar were non-Muslim majority provinces.
All these provinces were to be included in Bharat.

ii. Province of the Provinces:

The decision was taken to divide Punjab province into two parts. The Muslim
majority area would go to Pakistan and non-Muslim majority area to Bharat,
respectively. A Commission was created to draw the line of demarcation between
Pakistani Punjab and Bharati Punjab.

iii. Province of Bengal:

The principle approved For Pun jab was also approved for Bengal. The province was
to be divided into East Bengal and West Bengal. East Bengal was predominantly a
Muslim area while Hindus were in majority in West Bengal. A Boundary Commission
for the demarcation of the boundary was created by the British government.

iv. Province of Sindh:

The members of the Sindh Provincial Assembly got the right to join Pakistan or
Bharat by a majority vote.

v. Province of Balochistan:
Balochistan had not yet been given the status of a full fledged province. It was
decided that Shahi Jirga and Municipal Committee Quetta would decide the future of
Balochistan by the majority votes of their members.

vi. Sylhet :
Sylhet was one of the districts of Assam. A very large majority of the district was
Muslim. The people living in the District, Sylhet had to decide their own future
through a referendum. They had to opt either for Pakistan or Bharat.

vii. North Western Frontier Province :

The people of NWFP had to decide their fate by a referendtim. They could either join
Pakistan or Bharat.

viii. States:
There were 635 states in the sub-continent where Nawabs and Rajas were ruling
over their areas and people with internal sovereignty. The external sovereignty was
lying with the British government. Each state was given the right to join Pakistan or
Bharat, keeping its geographical position and special circumstances in view.

Regions that became part of Pakistan:

 West Punjab (Provincial Assembly unanimously decided to join
Pakistan).
 Sindh (Provincial Assembly unanimously decided to join Pakistan).
 Balochistan (A Shahi Jirga in Balochistan decided to join
Pakistan).
 NWFP (people decided to join Pakistan in a referendum held in
NWFP).
  East Bengal (Provincial Assembly unanimously decided to join
Pakistan)
 District Sylhet (people decided to join Pakistan in a referendum). 

Radcliffe Award:
The demarcation line was published on 17 August 1947 upon the Partition of India.
Today its western side is part of the Indo-Pakistan border and the eastern side
serves as the India-Bangladesh border.

Announcment:
On 16 August 1947 at 5:00 pm, the Indian and Pakistani representatives were given
two hours to study copies, before the Radcliffe award was published on 17 August.

THE END