Consider the following statements: The Constituent Assembly was formed...
- Statement 1 is incorrect: The Constituent Assembly was constituted as per the provisions of the Cabinet Mission Plan. The Cabinet Mission was announced in 1946. Its members included Pethick Lawrence, Stafford Cripps, and A.V. Alexander.
- Statement 2 is incorrect: The Indian Independence Act, 1947 or the Mountbatten plan provided for the partition of India and created two independent dominions of India and Pakistan. It empowered the Constituent Assembly of the two dominions to adopt any constitution as it thinks fit and to repeal any act of the British Parliament, including the Indian Independence Act, 1947 itself.
The main provisions of the Indian Independence Act, 1947 are as follows: - It ended the British rule and made India into a sovereign and independent state as on August 15, 1947.
- Caused the partition of India into two dominions of India and Pakistan, with the right to secede from the British Commonwealth.
- Abolished the office of Viceroy and provided for the Governor General for each dominion, who was to be appointed by the British King. He was the nominal head to act on the advice of the Dominion cabinet.
- Abolished the office of the Secretary of State for India.
- Ended the British paramountcy over the princely states
- Empowered the Constituent Assembly of the two dominions to legislate for themselves till the adoption of the new Constitution.
- Abolished the right of the British monarch to veto bills. Governor General, in the name of His majesty, had full powers to give assent to the bills.
Consider the following statements: The Constituent Assembly was formed...
The correct answer is option 'D' - Neither 1 nor 2.
Explanation:
Let's analyze each statement separately:
Statement 1: The Constituent Assembly was formed as per the provisions of the Mountbatten Plan.
The Mountbatten Plan, also known as the June 3 Plan, was a proposal put forward by Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, on June 3, 1947. The plan suggested the partition of British India into two separate nations - India and Pakistan. The plan also proposed the creation of a Constituent Assembly to draft the constitution for the new dominions.
However, it is important to note that the Constituent Assembly was not formed as per the provisions of the Mountbatten Plan. The formation of the Constituent Assembly was based on the Cabinet Mission Plan, which was proposed in 1946. The Cabinet Mission Plan recommended the creation of a Constituent Assembly to draft the constitution for a united India.
Therefore, statement 1 is incorrect.
Statement 2: The Constitution assemblies of the dominion government had no powers to repeal The Indian Independence Act, 1947.
The Indian Independence Act, 1947 was enacted by the British Parliament to grant independence to India and Pakistan. It provided the legal framework for the partition of British India and the creation of the two dominions. The Act also empowered the Constituent Assemblies of both dominions to frame and adopt their respective constitutions.
Since the Constituent Assemblies were given the authority to draft and adopt the constitutions, they also had the power to repeal or amend any provisions of the Indian Independence Act, 1947 that were inconsistent with their respective constitutions. Therefore, statement 2 is also incorrect.
In conclusion, neither statement 1 nor statement 2 is correct.
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