Latest news with #IndianIndependenceAct1947
NDTV
2 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Indian Independence Act 1947: The Final Step In Transfer Of Power
With India's 79th Independence Day just around the corner, it's a good time to revisit one of the most defining chapters in modern history: the Mountbatten Plan and the Indian Independence Act 1947. Together, these events reshaped the subcontinent and set the course for its future. The Mountbatten Plan was the final blueprint for the transfer of power from the British to the people of the subcontinent. Proposed by Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last British Viceroy, it sought to hasten the end of colonial rule in British India. Mountbatten arrived in India in March 1947. He announced the Partition Plan on June 3, stating that the British would transfer power to the Indian and Pakistani governments by mid-August that year. The announcement intensified violence, as uncertainty over the future triggered the largest forced migration in history. This plan became the foundation for the Indian Independence Act 1947, passed by the British Parliament on July 5, 1947, and granted Royal Assent on July 18, 1947. An official document dated July 18, 1947, called it, "An Act to make provision for the setting up in India of two independent Dominions, to substitute other provisions for certain provisions of the Government of India Act, 1935, which apply outside those Dominions, and to provide for, other matters consequential on or connected with the setting up of those Dominions." The legislation provided for the creation of two independent dominions, India and Pakistan, effective from August 15, 1947. "As from the fifteenth day of August, nineteen hundred and forty-seven, two independent Dominions shall be set up in India, to be known respectively as India and Pakistan," the Act declared. Under the terms of the Indian Independence Act, the provinces of Bengal and Punjab were to be divided, creating East Bengal (later Bangladesh) and West Bengal, as well as West Punjab in Pakistan and East Punjab in India. "The Province of Bengal, as constituted under the Government of India Act, 1935, shall cease to exist, and there shall be constituted in lieu thereof two new Provinces, to be known respectively as East Bengal and West Bengal," the legislation stated. While it heralded freedom, the plan was overshadowed by the immense human cost. The partition plan of 1947 triggered the largest mass migration in recorded history outside of war or famine, displacing millions of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs and leaving a deep scar on the region. Today, the history of the Indian constitution traces its roots to this legislation, which formally dismantled the British and set the stage for the sovereign republics we know today.
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First Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Do you know why India and Pakistan celebrate I-Day on different dates?
As India gears up to celebrate its 79th Independence Day on August 15, it's worth remembering some fascinating chapters from the nation's freedom story. Here are some lesser-known facts On August 15, schools, offices, and neighbourhoods across India will come alive with saffron, white, and green decorations. Kite-flying adds colour to the skies, symbolising the spirit of freedom. Representational image On August 15, 2025, India will mark its 79th Independence Day, a moment to reflect on the country's long journey from colonial rule to becoming the world's largest democracy. It was on this day in 1947 that the Indian tricolour was hoisted for the first time at the ramparts of Delhi's iconic Red Fort by the country's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. The moment marked the end of nearly 200 years of British rule, ushering in a new era of freedom and self-governance. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Over the decades, the day has grown into a nationwide celebration of unity in diversity, resilience, and the shared aspirations of over a billion people. Across the country, schools, offices, and neighbourhoods come alive with saffron, white, and green decorations. Kite-flying adds colour to the skies, symbolising the spirit of freedom. But here's a lesser-known nugget from history — the Indian Independence Act 1947 had set 15 August as the date for both India and Pakistan to gain freedom. However, Lord Mountbatten, India's last British Viceroy, wanted to be present at both handover ceremonies. To make that possible, Pakistan's independence ceremony in Karachi was held a day earlier, on 14 August 1947, followed by India's on 15 August. As India celebrates its 78 years of Independence tomorrow, it's worth remembering such fascinating chapters from the nation's freedom story. Here's a closer look
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Daily Quiz: On August 14, 1947 events
Daily Quiz: On August 14, 1947 events Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit YOUR SCORE 0 /6 RETAKE THE QUIZ 1 / 6 | Which legal enactment by the British Parliament formalized the Partition of India, and when did it receive Royal Assent? DID YOU KNOW THE ANSWER? YES NO Answer : The Indian Independence Act 1947, which received Royal Assent on July 18, 1947. SHOW ANSWER 2 / 6 | On what dates did the Dominion of India and the Dominion of Pakistan officially come into existence? DID YOU KNOW THE ANSWER? YES NO Answer : They legally came into being at midnight between August 14–15, 1947. SHOW ANSWER 3 / 6 | Approximately how many people were displaced during the Partition, and what are the estimated fatalities? DID YOU KNOW THE ANSWER? YES NO Answer : Between 12 and 20 million people were displaced; fatalities estimates vary between 200,000 and 2 million. SHOW ANSWER 4 / 6 | Name the plan agreed upon by the Indian National Congress, the Muslim League, and the Sikh representatives, and with whom was this agreement made? DID YOU KNOW THE ANSWER? YES NO Answer : The June 3 Plan, also known as the Mountbatten Plan, agreed with Viceroy Lord Mountbatten. SHOW ANSWER 5 / 6 | What was the 'Evacuee Property Law' enacted in both India and Pakistan meant to address? DID YOU KNOW THE ANSWER? YES NO Answer : Management and redistribution of properties abandoned by refugees who migrated across the border. SHOW ANSWER
