Cabinet Mission Plan, 1946

What was Cabinet Mission & Who were its members?

Clement Atlee (British Prime Minister) decided to send a mission to India for the transfer of
powers from the British Indian government to Indian leaders.

The mission had three members:

Cabinet Mission Members – Designation

Pethick Lawrence Secretary of State for India

Stafford Cripps President of the Board of Trade

A.V. Alexander First Lord of Admiralty

Objectives of Cabinet Mission

 To obtain an agreement with the Indian leaders as to the framing of a constitution for
India.

 To formulate a constitution-making body (the Constituent Assembly of India).

 To establish an Executive Council with the support of the major Indian parties.

 The mission wanted to make a committee that will make a Constitution which will
provide equal respect and opportunities to all the people

Cabinet Mission 1946 – Major Proposals

The major proposals of Cabinet Mission 1946 are as follows

 Demand for the formation of full fledged Pakistan was rejected.

Why was it rejected?

1. A large non-Muslim population of about 38% in North-West and 48% in North-East would
be included into partitioned Pakistan.

2. If Bengal and Punjab were partitioned, it would create regional issues.

3. Economic and administrative problems might arise out of the partition.

4. A small country with two halves separated would not be viable

 5. Armed forces, communication networks, transportation would have to be divided
between the two states.

6. Inclusion of non Muslim States such as Punjab, Bengal and Assam would be
inappropriate.

7. Division of Punjab would create tensions with the displacement of Sikhs.

 Cabinet Mission 1946 proposed formation of a three-tier Legislature and Executives at the
Centre, Province and the Provincial groupings.

 The existing Provincial Assemblies were grouped into three. They are

Section A was a Hindu Majority Province. It consisted of

 Madras

 Bombay

 Bihar

 Orissa

 United Provinces

 Central Provinces

Section B was a Muslim Majority Province. It consisted of

 Punjab

 Sindh

 North-West Frontier province

Section C was also a Muslim Majority Province. It consisted of

 Assam

 Bengal

 A provision for framing the Constituent Assembly was made.

1. Members of the Provincial Assemblies were to elect the members of the

Constituent Assembly.

2. The method of proportional representation was to be followed.

 3. Out of 389 members of the Constituent Assembly, 292 were from Provincial
Assemblies, 4 from Chief Commissioner’s Province and 93 from Princely States.

 The members from sections A,B,C of the Provincial Assembly would sit together while
framing the Union Constitution and separately while framing the Provincial Constitution.

 The Princely states were free to join either the new government or the British government.

 Federal structure was proposed for India by the Cabinet Mission 1946.

 External affairs, defence and the communication were to be controlled by a common center.

 Provinces were given full autonomy

Cabinet Mission 1946 – Objections

 The Congress demanded a strong center but the Cabinet Mission 1946 provided only a weak
center.

 The grouping of Provincial Assemblies was rejected by the Congress whereas the Muslim
league stood for it.

 The Congress demanded that the Provinces should have the option of not joining the groups.

 Provisions were absent for the elected members of the Princely States. This was not
accepted by the Congress.

 The Viceroy’s offer to join the Interim government was rejected by the Congress.

Conclusion

Finally, the Cabinet Mission was accepted by Congress and the Muslim league on June 24, 1946
and June 6, 1946 respectively. However the League later withdrew from it and called for direct
action to achieve Pakistan. With the failure of Cabinet Mission 1946, Atlee’s statement was
announced, which mentioned a deadline for power transfer and withdrawal from India.